The Aquatic Veterinarian 2016 10(3)

ISSN 2329-5562

Western Painted Turtle (Chrysemys picta bellii) Photo by ZooMed See centerfold on pages 26-27

Turtle Issue

Volume 10, Number 3 Third Quarter, 2016 Volume 10, Number 3 THE AQUATIC VETERINARIAN Third Quarter 2016

WHO ARE WE Editorial Staff

The mission of the World Aquatic Veterinary Medi- Nick Saint-Erne (USA) [email protected] Executive Editor cal Association is to serve the discipline of aquatic veterinary medicine in enhancing aquatic animal health Communications Committee: and welfare, public health, and seafood safety, in sup- Andrei Bordeianu (France) port of the veterinary profession, aquatic animal own- Chris Walster (UK) ers and industries, and other stakeholders. David Scarfe (USA) Devon Dublin (Japan) The purpose of the World Aquatic Veterinary Medi- Laura Urdes (Romania) cal Association is: Richmond Loh (Australia)  To serve aquatic veterinary medicine practitioners Stephen Reichley (USA) of many disciplines and backgrounds by developing programs to support and promote our mem- WAVMA Executive Board bers, and the aquatic species and industries that they serve. Nick Saint-Erne (USA) [email protected] President  To identify, foster and strengthen professional in- teractions among aquatic medical practitioners and Laura Urdes (Romania) [email protected] other organizations around the world. President-Elect  To be an advocate for, develop guidance on, and promote the advancement of the science, ethics Chris Walster (UK) [email protected] Immediate Past President and professional aspects of aquatic animal medicine within the veterinary profession and a wider Devon Dublin (Japan) [email protected] audience. Secretary  To optimally position and advance the discipline of Sharon Tiberio (USA) [email protected] aquatic veterinary medicine, and support the prac- Treasurer tice of aquatic veterinary medicine in all countries. Chad Harris (USA) [email protected] Director-at-Large The ideas presented in this publication express the Stephen Reichley (USA) [email protected] views and opinions of the authors, may not reflect the Director-at-Large view of WAVMA, and should not be implied as WAVMA recommendations or endorsements unless explicitly Richmond Loh (Australia) [email protected] stated. Director-at-Large

Information related to the practice of veterinary Non-voting Advisors: medicine should only be used within an established Julius Tepper (USA) [email protected] Fellowship Advisory Council valid Veterinarian-Patient-Client Relationship. David Scarfe (USA) [email protected] Parliamentarian

Past Presidents Dr Peter L. Merrill (USA) 2007 Dr Ron Roberts (UK) 2008 Dr Hugh Mitchell (USA) 2009 Dr Fotini Athanassopoulou (Greece) 2010 Dr Julius Tepper (USA) 2011 Dr Dusan Palic (USA/Germany) 2012 Dr Mohamed Faisal (USA) 2013 Dr Richmond Loh (Australia) 2014 Dr Chris Walster (UK) 2015

Past Secretaries and Treasurers © 2016 World Aquatic Veterinary Medical Association Chris Walster, Secretary 2007-2013 Dusan Palic, Treasurer 2007-2010 ISSN 2329-5562 Nick Saint-Erne, Treasurer 2011-2014

2 THE WORLD AQUATIC VETERINARY MEDICAL ASSOCIATION Volume 10, Number 3 THE AQUATIC VETERINARIAN Third Quarter 2016 CONTENTS

WAVMA News: Editorials ………………….………………………………………………………………………….….. 4 Advertising Rates ……………………………………………………………………………………….. 4 Executive Board Reports …..………………………………………………………………………..…. 5 Election Results for 2017 Executive Board …………………………………………………………… 6 Committee Reports…………………………………………………………………………………..….. 10 Privileges & Benefits of WAVMA Membership ………………………………………………………. 10 WAVMA Committees …………………………………………………………………………………… 10 The Annual General Meeting 2016 …………………………………………………………………… 12 WAVMA Pitts Aquatic Veterinary Education Award Recipient Reports: John Griffioen ………… 15 Rebuilding an Arapaima While Dismantling Everything Else - Christina McKenzie ……………. 16 Colleague’s Connection: Doug Mader ...... 18

Author’s Instructions .....…..……………………………………………………………………...……… 20

Grand Round Cases: Ticks on Turtles ………………….………………….……………………..…………………………… 21

Research Articles, Review Papers: Raising Sea Turtles for Research - Jeanette Wyneken …………..………….………….. ………. 22 Quarantine to Prevent or Control Disease Outbreaks in an Aquatic Environment - Sherri Kasper 28

Centerfold: Western Painted Turtle ...... 26

Literature Reviews: Book Review: Health Care & Rehabilitation of Turtles and Tortoises ……………………………. 31 Wiley Online Publication - Aquaculture, Fisheries & Fish Science - Sample Issues …………… 32 Book Review: The Leatherback Turtle - Biology and Conservation ……………………………... 33 Aquatic Veterinary Abstracts: Turtles ………………………..…....…………………………………. 34 Surgical Approach to the Coelomic Cavity Through the Axillary and Inguinal Regions in Sea Turtles 34 The Chelonian Respiratory System ...... 34 Metabolic and Respiratory Status of Stranded Juvenile Loggerhead Sea Turtles ……………… 34 Know Your Sea Turtles ……..………………………....………………………………………………. 35

Clinical Case Reports: Stranded Olive Ridley Marine Turtle in Guyana - Devon Dublin.…..………………………………. 36

News and Views: WVA Benefit for WAVMA Members …………….…………………………………………..……... 38 Veterinarian Saves Goldfish Who Swallowed a Pebble ……………………...... …………………… 38 Bachelor’s Paradise: Female Turtles Outnumbering Males Due to Warming Temperatures ….. 39 The Recovery of the World’s Most Endangered Sea Turtle Has Stalled ……………...…………. 40 Frozen Solid, Abused Turtle Comes to Life ………………………………………………………… 40 Alien Red-Ear Sliders Greatly Outnumber Japan’s Own Turtles …………………………………. 41 How Climate Change Could Make Sea Turtles Extinct ……………………………………………. 42 Human Health Risks of Eating Sea Turtle Eggs Could Benefit Species …………………………. 43

Legislative & Regulatory Issues: Diamondback Terrapins, Popular Asian Meat, Now Off Limits …………..…………………..…… 44 Proposed Endangered Species Status for Sonoyta Mud Turtle …………………………………... 44 500 Star Turtles Seized at Chennai Airport …………………………………………………………. 45 Alligator Snapping Turtle One Step Closer to Endangered Species Protection ………………… 45

Aquatic Veterinary CE&PD: Meetings of Interest to Aquatic Veterinarians ……………………………………………………..…. 46 Internships, Externships and Residencies ...……………...………………………………………….. 48 Aquatic Veterinary Job Opportunities ...…………………………………………………………….… 49

Sponsors …...….…………………………………………………………………………..……………….. 50

WAVMA.ORG 3 Volume 10, Number 3 THE AQUATIC VETERINARIAN Third Quarter 2016 EDITORIALS

Editor’s Note Download a QR reader onto your Smart Phone and scan the This issue is mostly about turtles. As veterinarians, Quick Response Code to the we typically separate turtles (water dwelling chelo- right. It will take you to the nians) from tortoises (land dwelling chelonians), al- WAVMA.org website page for though many people commonly use ‘turtles’ to refer to accessing all of the past WAVMA either. There are also ‘terrapins’, which are fresh water Newsletters. turtles. According to Wikipedia, “Turtles are reptiles of You will need your WAVMA the order Testudines (or Chelonii) characterised by a User ID and Password to access the most recent special bony or cartilaginous shell developed from issues of The Aquatic Veterinarian. their ribs and acting as a shield. ‘Turtle’ may refer to the order as a whole (American English) or to fresh- Cover Photo: water and sea-dwelling testudines (British English).” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turtle There are 327 known species of Chelonians alive today, and many are highly endangered because of habitat destruction, encroachment of developments and roadways, capture for food and for pets and other forms of predation, and, in the case of sea turtles, plastics and other pollutants in the sea. As aquatic veterinarians, it is our role to help these animals, whether to preserve them in the wild, ensure their health in farms where they are raised for food (over 1000 turtle farms are reported to be raising turtles for food in China), and educate our clients on the proper care, Western Painted Turtle (Chrysemys picta bellii) habitat and nutrition for their pet turtles and tortoises. Photo by ZooMed My first pet, when I was 6 years old growing up in See centerfold on pages 26-27 Kansas, was a box turtle my father found on the road and brought home. For the rest of my childhood, I had box turtles as pets, and still have some today, along with other species of water turtles and tortoises. These The Aquatic Veterinarian long lived pets are relatively easy to care for, have in- The Quarterly Magazine of the dividual personalities, can certainly recognize different people, come when they are called, and like to be World Aquatic Veterinary Medical Association scratched on the head and neck [well, not all species Consider promoting your products, services of turtles - do not try that with snapping turtles!]. or programs to aquatic veterinarians, As aquatic vets, we need to keep in mind these veterinary students, nurses & wonderful aquatic (and land) creatures that need our care too! paraveterinary professionals throughout the world

Advertising Rates (per issue) Nick Saint-Erne, DVM, CertAqV Commercial Non-Profit Executive Editor [email protected] Full page (~7” x 9”) $100 $50

1/2 page (~7” x 4.5”) or 1 column (3.5” x 9”) Sporting my $60 $30 Hawaii Sea Turtle 1/4 page (~3.5 x 4.5”) $30 $15 shirt at Lake Havasu, WAVMA Members Arizona Free 1/8 page (business card size) advertisement Contact [email protected] for information on advertising and payment options.

4 THE WORLD AQUATIC VETERINARY MEDICAL ASSOCIATION Volume 10, Number 3 THE AQUATIC VETERINARIAN Third Quarter 2016 EXECUTIVE REPORTS

President’s Report The year 2014 commenced with President Rich- mond Loh examining the areas we will concentrate on Following the theme of my previous President’s in the year ahead are: Reports, I will review the history of WAVMA through 1. Relevance: to satisfy the needs and wants of our the archive of the President’s Reports of years past. members, through support, CEPD, recognition of prior The last two issues covered the first 5 years of experience and defending the aquatic area for the vet- WAVMA. I would like to bring the reader up to the be- erinary profession. ginning of the present year in this issue, and then re- 2. Pre-eminence: about growing the WAVMA brand serve the next issue to reflect on 2016. within our profession (to our colleagues) and outside In Aquatic Vet News 6(1), 2012 President, Dusan our profession (to our clients) by promoting the value Palic, expounded on the good work that was being and utilisation of suitably qualified aquatic veterinari- done in improving our website (WAVMA.org), develop- ans to our clients. ing the Certified Aquatic Veterinarian Program, and 3. Reach: through the internet (social media) and en- creating the Distinguished Fellows program. WAVMA gaging in open dialogue with other organisations. had joined the World Small Animal Veterinary Associa- Today, WAVMA continues to accomplish these tion in order to introduce ornamental fish to the small goals through our WebCEPD programs, the CertAqV animal practitioners around the world. We also be- Program, this journal, and other content provided on came members of the World Veterinary Association. our website and at veterinary meeting presentations Our 2012 Annual General Meeting was held in August given by WAVMA members. In 2014 we also joined in conjunction with the AVMA Convention in San the World Continuing Education Alliance to be able to Diego, California. share web-based CEPD content. A milestone event in 2012 was our first WAVMA Our Annual General Meeting was held in July, in Webinar, “Structure and Function of Fish Gills,” by Dr conjunction with the AVMA Convention, in Denver, Rob Jones. His excellent program started one of our Colorado. Once again, WAVMA presented lectures most remarkable WAVMA accomplishments, and we and a wet-lab at this conference. We finished the year now have 28 webinars posted on our website: https:// with 23 Certified Aquatic Veterinarians, 12 WAVMA www.wavma.org/WebCEPD. These are FREE to Student Chapters in veterinary schools around the watch and can be used for CEPD Credit. world and an online WAVMA store where you can buy Finally, at the end of 2012 it was announced that cool shirts and other WAVMA logoed items. the Credentialing Committee had completed the Certi- Last year (2015), President Chris Walster promised fied Aquatic Veterinarian Program documents and the year to be one of the best ever! And he was right!! committee members would test it in 2013. WAVMA expanded our global reach, and certainly is 2013 started with a big change: The Aquatic Vet nurturing the next generation of Aquatic Veterinarians, News newsletter transitioned into The Aquatic Veteri- through our student chapters (14 now), scholarships narian journal! Our WAVMA quarterly publication ex- (over $42,000 in educational awards given) and edu- panded in size and content, with a new cover design. cational programs. WAVMA presented programs at the 2013 President, Mohamed Faisal commissioned the International Veterinary Students Association confer- cover design from the staff artist at the College of Vet- ence in Romania, and WAVMA also became a mem- erinary Medicine at Michigan State University, where ber of the International Aquatic Veterinary Council. he teaches. WAVMA provided the Aquatic Medicine lectures at WAVMA created a FaceBook page and joined the WSAVA Congress in Bangkok, Thailand in May Linked-in, to spread the word about Aquatic Veterinary 2015. Our Annual General Meeting was held in Sep- Medicine through social media. We had student mem- tember in Istanbul, Turkey in conjunction with the bers start Student Chapters of WAVMA at their Univer- WVC. Laura Urdes, from the Communications Com- sities: Tuskegee University being the first and the Uni- mittee, started issuing monthly e-News updates about versity of Prince Edward Island, University of Tennes- WAVMA. We also added Externship and Jobs postings see, University of Wisconsin and University of Florida on the WAVMA website. Throughout the year, Chris following. Walster worked with Vetstream to develop our first We had a great WAVMA fish medicine wet-lab and ever Online Virtual Conference, which was held in May 5 days of presentations at the AVMA Convention in of 2016. More about 2016 in the next issue! Chicago, Illinois in July, 2013, then our Annual General Meeting was held at the World Veterinary Congress, Nick Saint-Erne, DVM, CertAqV sponsored by the WVA, in Prague in September, 2013. WAVMA President At that meeting, the first 11 Certified Aquatic Veteri- [email protected] narians were announced. [email protected] Phoenix, AZ USA

WAVMA.ORG 5 Volume 10, Number 3 THE AQUATIC VETERINARIAN Third Quarter 2016 EXECUTIVE REPORTS

Secretary's Report Around this time last year, I had made Dear WAVMA members, an appeal for our members to consider We are fast approaching the end of the year and serving as an Offi- 2016 is certainly a year to be remembered. Allow me to cer, Director or Com- express gratitude to those of the members that partici- mittee Member on pated in the recently held elections, both as office bear- the executive board ers for the year 2017 as well as those that casted their or one of the com- ballot. As secretary, with a renewed tenure I am indeed m i t t e e s pleased to continue contributing to advancing the work (Certification, Com- of WAVMA. I wish to congratulate all those that have munications, Meet- been elected and it is certainly a breath of fresh air to ings, Membership, once again have a female president that will take up the Students). I wish to mandate in January 2017. thank two relatively WAVMA continues to serve its members by provid- new faces who will ing the benefits that are offered, but we are working be sitting on the assiduously to improve what we have started while forg- board for 2017, and ing new partnerships as well. The WAVMA Certified they are Dr. Howard Aquatic Veterinarian program continues to attract a Wong (Hong Kong/ large number of persons and the support from those China) and Dr. Trista that function as mentors must be acknowledged and Welsh (USA). I wish recognized. them well and hope In addition to the regular Web-CEPD, PubCEPD and that others would the Clinical Corner, there was the hosting for the first also follow suit in the time of a virtual conference. This is an area that future, since new WAVMA would like to build on and in the near future, persons bring with those lectures will be available to all members. them fresh ideas. WAVMA will continue to be a good collaborator with Let us continue to other organizations, WVA and WSAVA being the most work together to ad- notable ones to expand the reach of information and vance the vision of capacity building in the area of aquatic veterinary medi- WAVMA and serve cine. Members are encouraged to take advantage of as credible advocates for adequate and efficient the benefits that are derived from our affiliation with aquatic veterinary care and service. these organizations and assist us in fulfilling our mandate in this regard, such as providing information that Devon Dublin, DMVZ, MSc. CertAqV may be solicited from time to time by means of surveys WAVMA Secretary etc. Global Environment Facility - Satoyama Project We are constantly exploring ways of improving and 6-7-1-507 Conservation International Japan, increasing the quality of service to members as well as Shinjuku, Tokyo, the types of benefits. We would like to improve and ex- 160-0022, Japan pand on our picture and video libraries, which can serve [email protected] as a valuable resource for use in presentations and such. In addition, the website will be continuously improved over time. We therefore appeal to members to send us suggestions on how things can be improved and also new ideas that the board may be able to act on to make the experience of our members better. The Student membership is continuously rising and as such we would like to focus our energies on that category of our members in a special way while working side by side with the Student’s Committee. In the same breath, allow me to thank those that are contributing to the continuity of the educational grants offered under the Pitts Education Award Program.

6 THE WORLD AQUATIC VETERINARY MEDICAL ASSOCIATION Volume 10, Number 3 THE AQUATIC VETERINARIAN Third Quarter 2016 EXECUTIVE REPORTS

Treasurer’s Report Colleen Guilfoyle United States Lauren Woods United States Our income so far this year has exceeded our ex- Laura de Armas United States penses, and we have had a record number of new Gina Navia United States members join WAVMA, which is our main source of Shannon Snook United States income each year. Brittaney Blanco United States Wayne Tsang United States INCOME DETAILS ACTUAL BUDGETED Summer Pepper United States Joey Cowan United States

Memberships Farida Varias United States Veterinarian 13,000.00 11,000.00 Spencer Feng United States New Graduate 1,000.00 500.00 Jolene Sun United States Vet Student 4,600.00 5,000.00 Kristen Bartholomew United States Vet Tech/Nurse 150.00 100.00 Katie Royer United States Affiliate (Non-vet) 300.00 Anusia Nadarajan Malaysia Pamela May United States Allied Veterinary Organization Library 200.00 Christina Dover United States Katharine Hausmann United States Madeleine Hendrix United States New Members (3rd Quarter 2016) Chelsea Hester United States Michelle Noga Australia Members are the life-blood of any professional Kyle Farmer United States Association. Please join us in welcoming the following Kirsten Lapuyade United States new WAVMA members: Katharine Onofryton United States

Full Members Veterinary Technicians/Nurses Andrea Marsella Italy Sarah Hasty United States Ayanna Carla Phillips Trinidad and Tobago Iselin Evje Norway Hossein Varshoie Iran Abdelnaser Bayoumy United States Antonella Fabrissin Italy Sharon Tiberio, DVM, CertAqV Troye Myers United States WAVMA Treasurer Joey Kaletsch United States [email protected]; [email protected] Ashley Emanuele United States Lisa Perez United States George Abernathy United States Paula Benner United States Elizabeth Braddon Australia

New Graduate Veterinarians Kyle DeYoung United States Johanna Mahadevan Australia

Vet Student Members Laura Taylor Saint Kitts and Nevis Elliott Antulov Saint Kitts and Nevis Caroline O'Connell Ireland Mitchell Larson Saint Kitts and Nevis Jennifer Volz United States Karen Cousins Saint Kitts and Nevis Alissa Tepedino Saint Kitts and Nevis Allison Marnette Saint Kitts and Nevis Daniel Prendiville United States Ashley Smith Saint Kitts and Nevis Nicole White United States Tara Becher Saint Kitts and Nevis

WAVMA.ORG 7 Volume 10, Number 3 THE AQUATIC VETERINARIAN Third Quarter 2016 EXECUTIVE REPORTS

Election Results for 2017 Executive Board ence in the Communications Committee as well as Secretary gives me confidence in continuing the man- Congratulations are in order for the following date of Secretary for another year. WAVMA has come members who were elected to the WAVMA Execu- a long way and I am happy to be a part of a pool of tive Board for 2017: professionals that are committed to the advancement of Aquatic Veterinary Medicine. I am dedicated to the President-Elect principles of the organization and do believe that David Scarfe (USA) WAVMA is extremely relevant in being a worldwide BSc (Zoology, 1969, Uni- advocate and representative of the field of Aquatic vet- versity of Natal), Graduate erinary medicine. I would like to see more involvement Studies (Marine Biology, of regions outside of North America and Europe and 1971, University of Cape would try to achieve this through my involvement in Town), PhD (Biology, 1979, Regional groupings and contacts forged. I will also Texas A&M University), seek to advance the cause of WAVMA through the DVM (1986, Texas A&M various means of communication at my disposal. University), Life Member of Royal Society of Southern Treasurer Africa (1971), WAVMA Fel- Sharon Tiberio (USA) low (2009), Cert AqV(2013) Bachelor of Science in Microbi- Vision and plans as an Executive Board Member: ology, University of Florida; Doctor Having been involved with WAVMA since its incep- of Veterinary Medicine, University tion in 2006, it is my hope to help WAVMA focus on of Florida; USDA/APHIS National existing and new priorities and programs for improv- Veterinary Accreditation Program, ing and expanding member programs, particularly: Category II; WAVMA Certified 1. Educational opportunities for members to earn Aquatic Veterinarian. CEPD credit and acquire basic, and advanced Vision and plans as an Executive Board Member: aquatic veterinary knowledge and skills, through in- Being a solo veterinary practice owner, I bring strong person conferences, symposia and meetings, and business skills to the position of WAVMA treasurer. web-based WebCEPD, PubCEPD, CertAqV, and Having served as WAVMA treasurer for 2015 and other programs; 2016, I've gained valuable experience in recognizing 2. Establishing incentives encouraging more mem- the issues and dynamics influencing successful opera- bers to participate in committees to help refine and tion of an education based nonprofit organization. I administer existing or new programs; have acquired in-depth knowledge of the financial con- 3. Open opportunities to encourage more veterinary siderations driving the success of the programs and organizations and veterinary schools to partner, col- benefits WAVMA offers its membership, and enjoyed laborate or work with WAVMA to expand opportuni- working in cooperation with the Board and committees ties in aquatic veterinary medicine; and, in helping WAVMA achieve its goals and meet its ob- 4. Open opportunities to encourage aquatic- jectives. In addition to executing the usual responsibili- orientated companies and organizations to sponsor ties associated with being treasurer, I administer the and support WAVMA programs. Student Chapter Educational Reimbursement program as well as disbursements for John Pitts Award recipi- Secretary ents. I collaborated with our website administrator to Devon Dublin (Japan/Guyana) improve efficiency and ease of use of WAVMA's online Doctor in Veterinary Medi- payment and renewal reminder system. I wish to sup- cine and Zootechnics (summa port WAVMA through active participation, and look cum laude), Agrarian University forward to fostering more friendships and professional of Havana (UNAH), Cuba liaisons with my new colleagues (2007); Masters in Marine Life as WAVMA continues to grow. Sciences, Hokkaido University, Japan (2012); PhD in Environ- Directors-at-Large (3): mental Science Development at the Hokkaido University, Ja- Stephen Reichley (USA) pan; WAVMA CertAqV. PhD, Aquatic Animal Health, Vision and plans as an Executive Board Member: expected 2017 (Mississippi State I am committed to the work of WAVMA and believe University, College of Veterinary that my tenure as a Director-at-Large and experi- Medicine); DVM, May 2013 (Ohio

8 THE WORLD AQUATIC VETERINARY MEDICAL ASSOCIATION Volume 10, Number 3 THE AQUATIC VETERINARIAN Third Quarter 2016 EXECUTIVE REPORTS

State University, College of Veterinary Medicine); BS, grammes and disease treatment but also aquatic re- Pre-Veterinary Medicine and Biology, Chemistry Minor, search into nutrition, waste treatment, fish diseases, May 2009 (University of Findlay);WAVMA CertAqV. and improved husbandry and welfare, with a view to Vision and plans as an Executive Board Member: making aquaculture truly sustainable. I am very inter- One of my areas of focus as a young veterinarian is ested in promoting veterinary involvement in aquacul- the involvement of students in WAVMA and their mem- ture and the need to improve basic veterinary educa- bership benefits. To this end, I have served as a mem- tion in aquatic health is fundamental to this goal. As ber of the John L. Pitts Aquatic Veterinary Education the Executive Director of the School of Veterinary Awards Program for the past three years, helping Medicine at CityUHK I am in a good position to spear- structure the Program and increase its brand aware- head veterinary education in aquatic health which is ness. The Program has had a tremendous impact on why we have developed a joint MSc with the University the profession, awarding $42,500 to 65 veterinary stu- of Stirling and also why our School has placed Aquatic dents and veterinarians from around the world. I also Health as one of the four main pillars of our veterinary serve as an advisory member of the WAVMA Student degree programme. I would be happy to assist Committee, assisting in the development of new pro- WAVMA in achieving these aims globally but espe- grams, including the WAVMA Mentor Program. As a cially in Asia where the vast majority of Aquaculture member of the Communications Committee, I have occurs. In my view, WAVMA needs a strong presence helped reinvigorate WAVMA social media activity in Asia (especially China) if we are to have an influ- across Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn. Over the past ence on the next generation of veterinarians. I stand year, we have experienced a 158% increase in Face- ready to assist WAVMA in its strategic goals but also book Page likes and 318% increase in average post to assist the association in any way possible, be it ad- reach; 154% increase in LinkedIn followers; and 240% ministrative or otherwise. increase in Twitter followers. This increased social media activity has undoubtedly increased awareness of Trista Welsh-Becker (USA) and interest in WAVMA. During my past year as a Di- WAVMA Certified Aquatic Vet- rector-at- Large, I helped develop the WAVMA Aquatic erinarian; Doctor of Veterinary Veterinary Student Externship webpage, a useful tool Medicine, University of Georgia; matching veterinarians hosting externs with qualified Master of Science, University of veterinary students. I also helped create the WAVMA Alaska; Bachelor of Science in Student Chapter database allowing WAVMA to more Wildlife, Humboldt State Univer- closely track the activities and membership of its Stu- sity. dent Chapters at universities around the world. I have Vision and plans as an Execu- been working diligently to help WAVMA take a more tive Board Member: As a recent proactive role with the Chapters and I serve as a point recipient of the Certificate in of contact for them. Serving as a Director-at-Large this Aquatic Veterinary Medicine from past year has been a terrific and humbling experience. WAVMA, I look forward to helping I am honored to be working alongside some of the this program grow and develop greatest aquatic veterinarians around the world and into a well-recognized certification extremely generous and hardworking individuals. I program for entry-level fish veterinarians. I look for- have grown personally and professionally, expanding ward to contributing as a mentor for future applicants skill sets and widening my network of veterinarians and new veterinarians. As a government organization globally. I hope to continue representing WAVMA veterinarian, serving as an Executive Board Member members’ interests and assisting the Board in identify- will be a great way to remain involved in the veterinary ing important issues related to aquatic veterinary medi- profession and allow me to continue my public service cine. by giving back to the organization. As aquaculture continues to grow both in the United States and world- Howard Wong (Hong Kong, China) wide, I can provide an expert viewpoint for fisheries MA (Cambridge), MPVM (UC- veterinarians looking to develop their abilities in this Davis), VetMB. (Cambridge), MSc area as well as provide insight on current and develop- (Sustainable Aquaculture, St. An- ing issues. As aquatic medicine grows, so too will the drews). WAVMA and its reaches in the veterinary world. Pro- Vision and plans as an Executive viding direction to the organization as it looks to refine Board Member: The aquaculture its focus and implement changing goals will be critical industry is in desperate need of in continuing to maintain relevance, retain member- more veterinary input, both in terms ship, and attract new members. of preventative fish health pro-

WAVMA.ORG 9 Volume 10, Number 3 THE AQUATIC VETERINARIAN Third Quarter 2016 COMMITTEE REPORTS

WAVMA Committees PRIVILEGES & BENEFITS OF EMBERSHIP As a member-driven organization, WAVMA relies WAVMA M on volunteers to help implement programs useful for all members. Any WAVMA member can volunteer on a Committee to help shape the direction of the Associa- tion, meet new colleagues, forge valuable and lasting relationships, and help address key issues affecting aquatic veterinary medicine today. To find out more about serving on a Committee, please contact the Committee Chair or the WAVMA Parliamentarian.

Budget and Finance Committee This Committee develops and regularly revises the Association’s annual budget and assists the Treasurer, as necessary, in developing the Association’s annual financial reports and tax materials. This Committee shall consist of the Treasurer (Chair); the President-Elect; and one other member of the Executive Board who will volunteer to serve a one- year renewable term. Chair: Sharon Tiberio, [email protected]

Enjoy on-line e-Learning programs & courses to Communications Committee advance your knowledge & skills This Committee manages the communications Get continuing education credit through Web- among members and others involved with aquatic vet- CEPD, PubCEPD & Clinical Corner erinary medicine. It oversees the listservs, membership lists, publication of WAVMA's quarterly journal Discover core knowledge, skills & experience The Aquatic Veterinarian, e-News, Facebook, Twitter, needed to become a WAVMA Certified Aquatic LinkedIn and other social media accounts. Veterinarian (CertAqV) Chair: Devon Dublin, [email protected] Receive discounted subscriptions to publications & meetings Credentialing Committee Utilize WAVMA’s picture & video libraries for your This Committee oversees and administers the Cert- own presentations AqV Program for credentialing aquatic veterinary prac- Join listservs to discuss clinical cases & other is- titioners, and evaluates aquatic veterinary educational sues programs useful to members. Chair: Tim Miller-Morgan [email protected] Mentor & be mentored to expand your and other’s

aquatic veterinary skills Meetings Committee Publish your articles in WAVMA’s quarterly jour- This Committee oversees and coordinates logistics nal: The Aquatic Veterinarian for WAVMA-organized or sponsored aquatic veterinary Find world-wide externships, internships, residen- educational meetings, including the Annual General cies & jobs in all aquatic vet areas Meeting. Chair: Julius Tepper, [email protected] Access Member Directories & have your Clinic/

Hospital listed on-line Membership Committee Benefit from Educational grants for vet students & This Committee oversees membership issues to new veterinary graduates optimally serve individual members and the organiza- Form & participate in veterinary school chapters tion. Co-Chair: Chad Harris [email protected] throughout the world Participate in veterinarian and client surveys Student Committee This Committee facilitates networking between stu- Help build additional member programs by serving dent members and helps development of student pro- as an Officer, Director or Committee Member grams and services.

Chair: Justin Krol, [email protected]

10 THE WORLD AQUATIC VETERINARY MEDICAL ASSOCIATION Volume 10, Number 3 THE AQUATIC VETERINARIAN Third Quarter 2016 COMMITTEE REPORTS

Certified Aquatic Veterinarians Credentialing Committee Last Name First Name Email Address Country Bastos-Gomes Giana [email protected] Australia The WAVMA CertAqV Program is administered Bjornebo Heather [email protected] USA by the WAVMA Credentialing Committee, along with Bogan James [email protected] USA the assistance of other Certified WAVMA members Cecil Todd [email protected] USA who serve as mentors and adjudicators.

Corcoran Michael [email protected] USA To be credentialed by WAVMA as a Certified Aquatic Veterinarian and utilize the CertAqV honor- Cornwell Emily [email protected] USA ific, individuals must be a WAVMA member, have a Docherty Darren [email protected] UK veterinary degree from a nationally recognized vet- Doherty Simon [email protected] UK erinary school, college or university and have dem- Dublin Devon [email protected] Japan onstrated general knowledge and competency in Faisal Mohamed [email protected] USA core subject areas that are currently considered necessary to practice aquatic veterinary medicine. Stu- Good Christopher [email protected] USA dents of a nationally recognized veterinary institution Hayakijkosol Orachun [email protected] Australia of higher education can register for the program, but Johnston Colin [email protected] New Zealand will not be certified or entitled to utilize the CertAqV Jorgensen Kasper [email protected] Denmark honorific until they graduate. Individuals that desire to participate in the Joseph Brian [email protected] Canada WAVMA CertAqV Credentialing Program are re- Kottwitz Jack [email protected] USA quired to: Lloyd Richard [email protected] UK  Register for the Program (application at Loh Richmond [email protected] Australia www.wavma.org).

Maas Adolf [email protected] USA  Identify a mentor to assist the registrant through the Program. The potential mentors would be Metselaar Matthijs [email protected] UK available WAVMA Certified Aquatic Veterinari- Miller-Morgan Tim [email protected] USA ans. Mohammed Haitham [email protected] Egypt  Provide the mentor with written evidence of sat-

Neethling Ross [email protected] UK isfactory completion of each of the core Knowl- edge, Skills and Experience (KSE) subject ar- Palić Dušan [email protected] Germany eas. Palmeiro Brian [email protected] USA  Be adjudicated by the Credentialing Committee Pasnik David [email protected] USA for recognition of completion of all KSE require- Questen Jena [email protected] USA ments after the mentor has approved the docu- mentation. Reed Aimee [email protected] USA  Have the CertAqV certification approved by the Reichley Stephen [email protected] USA WAVMA Executive Board. Sahatrakul Komsin [email protected] Singapore The WAVMA Certified Aquatic Veterinarian Saint-Erne Nick [email protected] USA (CertAqV) program has now certified 44 aquatic veterinarians. Please welcome our latest Certified Sanders Jessie [email protected] USA Aquatic Veterinarians: Scarfe David [email protected] USA Dr Darren Docherty Shelley John [email protected] USA Dr Simon Doherty Soto Esteban [email protected] USA Dr Kasper Jorgensen Dr Richard Lloyd Tepper Julius [email protected] USA Dr Haitham Mohammed Tiberio Sharon [email protected] USA Dr Ross Neethling Urdes Laura [email protected] Romania Dr Howard Wong Van de Sompel Greta [email protected] Belgium There are an additional forty other WAVMA members currently in the process of being certified. For Walster Christopher [email protected] UK more information, see the WAVMA website: Weber Scott [email protected] USA http://www.wavma.org/CertAqV-Pgm. Welsh Trista [email protected] USA Werkman Peter [email protected] Holland Tim Miller-Morgan, DVM, CertAqV Wong Howard [email protected] Hong Kong 2016 Credentialing Committee Chair

WAVMA.ORG 11 Volume 10, Number 3 THE AQUATIC VETERINARIAN Third Quarter 2016 COMMITTEE REPORTS

Meetings Committee N.B.: The attendee on the left is very interested in THE ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING 2016 our promo video, as were many of the vet students by Julius Tepper attending.

Our Annual General Meeting 2016 was a dinner meeting held on Saturday evening, August 6th at the Julius M. Tepper, DVM, CertAqV Restaurant Biga on the Banks. This was a spectacu- Meetings Committee Chair lar dining experience, right off the world famous San [email protected] Antonio Riverwalk, in San Antonio, Texas, USA. The Meeting was held in conjunction with the AVMA Con- vention.

After welcoming cocktails, we all sat in our private meeting room to discuss many aspects of our great organization. Among the members present were our first president, Peter Merrill (far left), our treasurer, Sharon Tiberio, our current president, Nick Saint- Erne, and the David Scarfe (far right), recently elected as President-Elect for 2017.

WAVMA is on Facebook!

“Like” WAVMA's Facebook Page and join the WAVMA Facebook group to keep up-to-date with WAVMA activities and WAVMA set up our booth at the AVMA Annual aquatic veterinary medicine topics Convention, held in San Antonio, Texas, USA, on from around the world. August 5-9, 2016 (left to right: Sharon Tiberio, Treas- urer; David Scarfe, President Elect for 2017; Julius Search for WAVMA at www.facebook.com. Tepper, Meetings Committee Chair and Nick Saint- Erne, the President).

12 THE WORLD AQUATIC VETERINARY MEDICAL ASSOCIATION Volume 10, Number 3 THE AQUATIC VETERINARIAN Third Quarter 2016 COMMITTEE REPORTS

Not a catfish, but a cool cat, anyway! AVMA Convention Exhibitor’s Hall.

Lamb chop dinner at the WAVMA Annual General Meeting. Yes, there was also fish served for those piscavores AAFV President Myron Kebus and who attended. WAVMA President Nick Saint-Erne At the AVMA Convention

And we did remember the Alamo!

Above: Title slide from Myron Kebus’ lecture.

Right: Slide from Zebrafish Biosecurity lecture by Katrina Murray.

WAVMA.ORG 13 Volume 10, Number 3 THE AQUATIC VETERINARIAN Third Quarter 2016 COMMITTEE REPORTS

Fellowship Advisory Council CURRENT VETERINARY SCHOOL WAVMA CHAPTERS WAVMA has established a fellowship program to Auburn University, College of Veterinary Medicine (established 2013) recognize those world-renowned veterinarians who 2016 Officers - Kate Butzen (President), Patricia Debow (Vice President), Erika have advanced aquatic veterinary medicine as a disci- Gibson (Treasurer), Lindsay Lawreck (Secretary); Faculty Advisors - Drs. Ray Wilhite & Jack Kottwitz; Chapter Contact - click here. pline and devoted their time and efforts to serve WAVMA’s mission. The Fellowship Advisory Council Mississippi State University, College of Veterinary Medicine (established allows Fellows to advise the Executive Board with 2014) 2016 Officers - Elizabeth Works (President), Taylor James (Vice-President), guidance on their initiatives, and mentor applicants for David Mills (Treasurer), Madeleine Hendrix (Secretary); Faculty Advisor - Dr. Aquatic Veterinarian Certification (CertAqV). Wes Baumgartner; Chapter Contact - click here.

Our WAVMA Distinguished Fellows are: Murdoch University, School of Veterinary & Life Sciences (established Dr. Peter L. Merrill 2014) 2016 Officers - Ming Jun Lim (President), Cheryl Tan (Vice President), Cher- Dr. Ronald J. Roberts maine Lim (Treasurer), Jia Wen Lim (Secretary); Faculty Advisors - Dr. A. David Scarfe Drs. Lian Yeap & Richmond Loh; Chapter Contact – click here. Dr. Julius M. Tepper Ross University, School of Veterinary Medicine (established 2015) Dr. Christopher I. Walster 2016-2017 Officers - Larissa Menke (President), Erika Brigante (Vice Presi- Dr. Dusan Palic dent), Jean Fournier (Secretary), Robin Sayres (Treasurer), Michelle Sparks (Wetlab Coordinator), Mandy Murti (Fundraising Chair); Faculty Advisors - Dr. Grace Karreman Drs. Don Bergfelt & Mark Freeman; Chapter Contact - click here. Dr. Marian McLoughlin Tuskegee University, School of Veterinary Medicine (established 2012) See: http://www.wavma.org/wavma-fellows.cfm? 2016 Officers - Jacqueline Elliott (President), Jennifer Algarin (Vice Presi- d e n t ) , Jennifer Algarin (Secretary), Aaron Judson Executive Board Responsibilities (Treasurer), Ayxa Rosado (Historian), TBD (Fundraising Chair); Faculty Advi- sor - Dr. Kenneth Newkirk; Chapter Contact - click here. View the Chap- ter's Facebook page. The Executive Board has the responsibility for University of Florida, College of Veterinary Medicine (established 2013) charting the course of WAVMA, fiduciary oversight of 2016 Officers - Haley Violetta (President), Riley Shugg (Vice President), all issues, and, with input of committees, provides the Kaylee Brown (Treasurer), Megan Joyce (Secretary); Faculty Advisor - Dr. Tom Waltzek; Chapter Contact - click here. oversight and approval for all WAVMA programs and services that fulfill the Mission and Objectives of the University of Georgia, College of Veterinary Medicine (established 2015) organization. The Board generally meets once a month 2016 Officers - Kristina Pascutti / Laura Burns (Co-Presidents), Sara Collins (Vice-President), Jaclyn Levin (Treasurer); Faculty Advisor, Dr. Alvin Ca- through teleconferences, to discuss and approve mus; Chapter Contact - click here. WAVMA programs, services, and policies that drive University of Minnesota, College of Veterinary Medicine (established 2016) the organization and issues that affect aquatic veteri- 2016 Officers - Sarah Knowles (Chair), Angela Jackson (Secretary); Faculty nary medicine. Members may submit items for discus- Advisor - Dr. Amy Kizer; Chapter Contact - click here. sion at the next Executive Board by contacting University of Sydney, Faculty of Veterinary Science (established 2014) 2016 Officers - Ellen Rasidi (President), Arthur Chau (Secretary), Dr. Paul Hick the WAVMA Secretary. (Treasurer); Faculty Advisor - Dr. Paul Hick; Chapter Contact - click here.

University of Tennessee, College of Veterinary Medicine (established 2012) WAVMA Shop 2012/13 Officers - Wesley Siniard & Grace Normann (Co-Presidents), Krista Lipe (Vice President), Carrie Dobey (Secretary), Samantha Schraith (Treasurer), Bree Dell (Wetlab Coordinator); Faculty Advisors - Dr. Michael Jones & Dr. Debra Miller; Chapter Contact - click here. View the Chap- A number of WAVMA branded items ter's Facebook page or website. (including shirts, mugs, caps) are available University of Wisconsin-Madison, School of Veterinary Medi- at the WAVMA Store. Get yours today! cine (established 2014) 2016 Officers - Katherine Hausmann (President), Nikki Wuestenhagen (Vice President), Geoffrey Gieni (Secertary), Jenna New- man (Treasurer), Jenna Epstein (Activities Coordinator); Faculty Advisor - Dr. Mike Collins; Chapter Contact - click here.

Western University of Health Sciences, College of Veterinary Medi- cine (established 2014) 2016 Officers - Andrew Switaj (President), Alexis Wohl (Vice President), David Abolnik (Secretary), Hali Jungers (Treasurer); Faculty Advisor -Dr. Suzana Tkalcic; Chapter Contact - click here. View the Chapter's Facebook page.

For information or assistance, please contact the WAVMA Chapter Contact for each school. To initiate a new Student Chapter see the "Guidance Go to: http://www.wavma.org/Shop for Forming a New Student Chapter" (click here to download PDF).

14 THE WORLD AQUATIC VETERINARY MEDICAL ASSOCIATION Volume 10, Number 3 THE AQUATIC VETERINARIAN Third Quarter 2016 COMMITTEE REPORTS

SCHOLARSHIP COMMITTEE: 2016 Pitts Education Awards Program Report

IAAAM Conference John John Griffioen Griffioen 2018 DVM Candidate, with North Carolina State University Loggerhead sea turtle at I am truly honored to be a recipient of John L. Pitts Virginia Aquatic Veterinary Education Award this year, and it Aquarium has been an important source of funding as I pursue a career in aquatic animal medicine. A portion of these funds were used to help cover travel expenses associated with attending the 2016 International Association for Aquatic Animal Medicine (IAAAM) meeting in Vir- ginia Beach, Virginia. This conference provided an unparalleled opportunity to build professional connections with an array of Below: (left to right) Dr. Greg Lewbart, John Griffioen, Dr. Sam Ridgway, Dr. Michelle Schisa, Scott Hammer veterinarians spanning from students to legends in the th field of aquatic animal medicine. Student focused ses- at the 47 Annual IAAAM Conference, May 2016. sions allowed for exploration of externship possibilities and current opportunities in research. The breadth of scientific presentations ranged from cetaceans and sea turtles to fish medicine, one health, and invertebrate medicine. The tremendous diversity of interests at the conference was exciting and encouraging as I begin navigating a career in this discipline. The collaboration and representation of veterinarians across the globe was an emphatic reminder that we face challenges in this field that stretch far beyond national borders, and global cooperation and communication will be vital in maintaining the health of the environment. Ultimately the conference provided an opportunity to see the current state of medicine and research in aquatic animal health, which is often lacking in traditional veterinary curriculums. While aquatic medicine is fortunately integrated into NC State Alumni, Faculty and Current Students the curriculum at NC State, this will be a challenge for th many students hoping to pursue careers with limited at the 47 Annual IAAAM Conference, May 2016. exposure during veterinary school. Conferences like IAAAM provide an incomparable opportunity for students like myself to gain a better perspective of the field and they serve as a catalyst for future aquatic animal veterinarians. Organizations like WAVMA that provide resources and scholarships for passionate students are truly shaping the future of aquatic animal medicine.

WAVMA.ORG 15 Volume 10, Number 3 THE AQUATIC VETERINARIAN Third Quarter 2016 COMMITTEE REPORTS

2016 Pitts Education Awards Program Report

Rebuilding an Arapaima While Dismantling Everything Else Christina McKenzie 2017 DVM Candidate, University of Saskatchewan

Controlled mayhem breaks out behind the scenes at SeaWorld San Diego when they get “The Call.” A dolphin has stranded at Torrey Pines State Park, and the race to rescue her is on. Despite the skill and speed of the rescue team, the dolphin didn’t survive to see the concerned faces of the rescue crew. The investigation begins, and the dolphin is transferred to the pathology team. As the veterinary pathology extern visiting Sea- World for 10 weeks, I’m about to experience my first dolphin necropsy. Since I’m a fourth year veterinary student hailing from the middle-of-the-prairies Sas- katchewan, it’s not exactly something I get to see every- day. Most people don’t know what goes on in the back of SeaWorld, but it has an extensive rescue and rehabilitation program serving marine birds and mammals, and it comprises a significant portion of the Marine Mammal Stranding Network in Southern California. Last year 386 birds, 995 pinnipeds and three dolphins were rescued and six large whales were untangled. Sadly, many of the back of a truck. CT scans provide valuable informa- these animals are beyond the expert help of the Sea- tion that could easily be missed on a routine necropsy, World veterinary team and their visit ends in necropsy such as evidence of hydrocephalus or damage associ- rather than release. In most cases, to determine why an ated with military sonar use. After the scan, we head animal died and hopefully inform future disease out- back to the necropsy facilities at SeaWorld where we break investigations, we take gross necropsy pictures, collect a variety of morphometric measurements, from describe lesions and collect a variety of tissues sam- total length of the dolphin to the distance between the ples, culture swabs and fluid samples for further analy- eye and the pinhole-sized ear opening. We also weigh, sis. measure and subsample all of the major organs. Sam- ples are taken both for histopathology and for frozen tissue banks used for ancillary testing or for research. On necropsy, the only major finding was a corpus lu- teum on the left ovary and a 2 cm fetus in the left horn of the uterus; our stranded dolphin was pregnant! A few days later, the radiologist who interpreted the CT reported a diagnosis of hydrocephalus and no evidence of drowning. The two most common causes of hydrocephalus in dolphins are brucella and morbil- However, stranded cetaceans are a special situation livirus. Both of these pathogens have been implicated in and get V.I.P. treatment. Since three dolphins have unusual mortal- stranded on the same stretch of coast during the past ity events in dol- ten days, everyone is keen solve the mystery and get a phins on the diagnosis. First, the dolphin is driven to the Veterinary East Coast. An- Specialty Hospital of San Diego to get a full body CT cillary testing scan courtesy of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric looking for both Administration (NOAA). When the pathology techni- of these patho- cians and I arrive, the receptionist doesn’t bat an eye gens is ongoing. when we tell him that we have a dead dolphin on ice in

16 THE WORLD AQUATIC VETERINARY MEDICAL ASSOCIATION Volume 10, Number 3 THE AQUATIC VETERINARIAN Third Quarter 2016 COMMITTEE REPORTS

In between necropsies, I’ve been rebuilding Collecting and assimilating information about the from gross necropsy reports, histopathology, CT and comparative anatomy, physiology and disease proc- MR data an arapaima that died in 2010, for publica- esses of animal species is at the core of why veterinary tion in a scientific journal. Arapaima are giant os- pathology is such an important discipline, especially teoglossids from the Amazon basin that are obligate when it comes to aquatic species where there is such air-breathers, which can reach up to 4 m in length. extreme diversity. Arapaima use their gas bladder as a respiratory or- During my time at SeaWorld, I’ve had the opportu- gan, producing one of the most striking adaptations nity to necropsy California sea lions, guitarfish, a fla- to hypoxia present in Amazonian fish. mingo, dolphins, a pilot whale and a scorpionfish, To increase the surface area available for gas among many other animals. The amount I have learned exchange, the gas bladder runs the length of the about comparative medicine, beyond the traditional coelomic cavity encompassing the kidneys and is species we learn about in veterinary school, is stagger- compartmentalized by a highly vascularized webbing ing. Since my intention is to become a board-certified of trabeculae. As a result of this drastic change in pathologist specializing in aquatic species, this extern- function, arapaima have undergone extensive ana- ship and the support of the John L. Pitts Education tomical and physiological changes in almost every Awards Program have been invaluable. Who knew that other organ system. it is completely normal for pelicans to have extreme subcutaneous emphysema over the keel to help distrib- ute the force of hitting the water when diving for fish?

Below: This picture is from a boat release for seven As juvenile arapaima mature from water- rehabilitated juvenile California sea lions. breathers to air-breathers, their gills undergo irre- versible atrophy. This includes severe blunting and broadening of the lamellae to decrease surface area and limit the amount of oxygen leached from the arapaima’s blood into the hypoxic water. Since the gills are so reduced, the kidneys are required to pick up some of their excretory functions, creating higher concentration urine than seen in water-breathing fish. In arapaima, the kidneys are not divided into a hematopoietic “head” and excretory “trunk”, instead the hematopoietic and excretory tissues are distrib- uted throughout the length. We also found that arapaima have a surprisingly large telencephalon, a structure considered to be related to overall intelli- gence, and a small optic tectum, which could be related to the murky waters in which they live. Unfortunately, the characteristics that allow arapaima to perfectly exploit their natural environment make them easy targets for overfishing and their habitat is at high risk from climate change and an- thropogenic activities. As arapaima are the only freshwater Amazonian teleost protected under ICUN and CITES. Considering the challenges that face arapaima and how many critical questions remain to be answered, it is critical that we collect as much information about their unique adaptations before the opportunity is lost.

WAVMA.ORG 17 Volume 10, Number 3 THE AQUATIC VETERINARIAN Third Quarter 2016 COLLEAGUE’S CONNECTION

Dr. Doug Mader - Man of the Hour! by Dr. Stacey Leonatti Wilkinson

Reprinted from the ARAV’s Herp Blerp newsletter, September 2016, used with permission. http://arav.org/

The article also appears on the ARAV website at: http://arav.org/professionals/newsletter/

The Association of Reptile and Amphibian Veteri- narians’ Executive Committee is honored and pleased to present the ‘Fredrick L. Frye Lifetime Achievement Award’ to Dr. Douglas Mader, MS, DVM, DABVP (Canine & Feline, Reptile & Amphibian), DECZM (Herpetology). Dr. Mader is the 6th Lifetime Achieve- ment Award winner since its creation in 1998. Prior to Dr. Mader, it was awarded to Dr. Frederick Frye, Dr. Elliot Jacobson, Dr. John Cooper, Dr. Kevin Wright (posthumously), and Dr. Wilbur Amand. Dr. Mader has made many contributions to reptile and amphibian medicine. He is known best as the editor of the texts Reptile Medicine and Surgery and Current Editor’s note: “Floaters” are sea turtles suffering Therapy in Reptile Medicine and Surgery, used by vet- from “Floating Syndrome” where a sea turtle develops erinarians all over the world. He is an author of numer- abnormal buoyancy, preventing the turtle from diving. ous book chapters, scientific journal articles, and publi- • What type of reptiles or amphibians are you work- cations reaching the herpetological community in gen- ing with? How many species? eral, from veterinary professionals to enthusiasts. He is “Many species. Sea turtles are the most common, a renowned speaker, both nationally and internationally but I also work with the American alligator and Ameri- and has won multiple awards. Dr. Mader is heavily in- can crocodile.” volved with multiple conservation efforts affecting native • How many animals are impacted by the organiza- wildlife (see below). Anyone who treats reptiles and tions you work with yearly? amphibians has been affected and influenced by Dr. “At the Turtle Hospital we rehabilitate approximately Mader, making him a most deserving recipient of this 200 sea turtles per year. On any given night we have award. between 40- 50 “in-patients.” I usually work on about a This month’s member spotlight on conservation also dozen wild alligators, crocodiles and Key deer annu- features Dr. Doug Mader’s involvement and efforts in ally.” conservation. Below is an interview he recently gave • What kind of resources are needed for projects of with the Herp Blerp about the organizations he works this magnitude? with. “The Key Deer Refuge is government funded, while • Dr. Mader, please, describe the mission/goals/ the other groups are all funded by donations. Dona- purpose of the organizations with which you work. tions can be made to the Turtle Hospital directly “I work with several organizations. Perhaps the most through their website. They all do amazing work on visible is The Turtle Hospital in the Florida Keys. I also extremely limited budgets. The Turtle Hospital is self- work with the National Key Deer Refuge and several sustaining with its own brick and mortar facility. They small non-profit wildlife rescue centers here in the Flor- now make enough money on tourist visits and Florida ida Keys. The mission is to protect and help the indige- license plate grants that they can afford a permanent nous wildlife, many of which are endangered or threat- staff. The other groups use my hospital when they ened. have injured animals.” • Do you have specific research or a project your or- • How did you get involved with this work as a veteri- ganization is working on currently? narian? “At the hospital we are working on several projects “I simply went to them and offered to help.” including pharmacokinetic studies, endosurgical ap- • How long have you been involved in this area of proaches, adhesives for treating shell injuries, treat- conservation work? ments for “floaters”, and many others. “For the past 20+ years.”

18 THE WORLD AQUATIC VETERINARY MEDICAL ASSOCIATION Volume 10, Number 3 THE AQUATIC VETERINARIAN Third Quarter 2016 COLLEAGUE’S CONNECTION

• Who are some of your heroes (both within and outside of your field)? “All service men and women in the Armed Forces. Fred Frye, Leonard Marcus, Murray Fowler, Charles Sedgwick, Jane Goodall, Diane Fossey, Jack Hanna, Charles Darwin and many more.” Everyone can agree that Dr. Doug Mader’s contri- • What inspired you to work specifically in this area butions to the field of reptile and amphibian medicine of conservation? and conservation are matched by very few. Congratu- “Aside from their inherent value as living, sentient lations to Dr. Mader as a most deserving recipient of beings – animals that deserve respect and care - I the Fredrick L. Frye Lifetime Achievement Award! consider the local wildlife to be part of my “Florida Keys family.” I look out my window and see them http://navc.informz.net/informzdataservice/ every day. How can I not use what I have learned onlineversion/ind/ over the years to help them if they need it?” bWFpbGluZ2luc3RhbmNlaWQ9NTkzMjU1MiZzdW- • What success stories can you share with us? JzY3JpYmVyaWQ9MTA4MTc0ODYyMw “Anytime you can release an animal back to the wild it is a victory. We tag all released turtles. A couple of years back we tagged and released a three flipper turtle. The following year it was spotted nesting on one of the local beaches. Success! My efforts were recognized in 2010 when I received the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Conservation Award for my work.” • How can ARAV members get involved? Are there opportunities for veterinarians or vet students to participate in or be a part of these projects? “I personally think that not only ARAV members, but EVERY veterinarian should make some effort to help with conservation. People respect veterinarians in general and tend to listen to us when we speak, and also, we are role models for youngsters. Even if you don’t go out in the field and help with the wildlife, you can get involved by giving lectures, having educational material in veterinary offices, writing articles for local papers, etc.” • What is your favorite reptile/amphibian and why? “It has changed over the years, but, as of today, I think it is the alligator. They have been around un- changed since the beginning of time. Humans almost drove them to extinction. Now, humans can do their part to protect them.”

WAVMA.ORG 19 Volume 10, Number 3 THE AQUATIC VETERINARIAN Third Quarter 2016 AUTHOR’S INSTRUCTIONS

Instructions for Authors and Contributors News Brief synopsis or information about aquatic veteri- While any information relevant to aquatic veterinary nary news published elsewhere. List original source of medicine might be published, we particularly invite information. contributions for the following regular columns in THE AQUATIC VETERINARIAN: Legislative & Regulatory Issues Synopsis or description of emerging legislation or Colleague’s Connection regulations with information on how to access further An article explaining why and how a veterinarian detailed information or a link to website. became interested in aquatic veterinary medicine and what that veterinarian has done in their aquatic veteri- Meetings and Continuing Education and Profes- nary career. sional Development (CE&PD) Opportunities Description or synopsis of upcoming aquatic veteri- Peer-Reviewed Articles nary or (veterinarian-relevant) non-veterinary in-person Original research or review of any aquatic veteri- or on-line educational meetings noting the meeting nary topic. Articles will be reviewed by 3 veterinarians title, dates, location, and contact person or website. and comments and changes referred back to the author prior to publication. The text for an article begins Jobs, Internships, Externships or Residencies with an introductory section and then is organized un- Description with specific contact information for vet- der the following headings: erinary student externships and post-graduate intern- -Materials and Methods ships or residencies at private practices, institutions, -Results universities or organizations. Description of available -Discussion (conclusions and clinical relevance) full or part-time employment for aquatic veterinarians, -References (cited in the text by superscript numbers with contact information. in order of citation). Advertising Clinical Cases See advertising rates on page 4. Clear description of a distinct clinical case or situation and how it was resolved. These may be submitted Please send articles, clinical reports, or news for peer-review. Begin with the signalment (species, items to the editor by the following submission age, sex, body weight or length) of the animal or ani- dates: mals, followed by a chronologic description of pertinent Issue 1 – February 15 (published in March) aspects of the diagnostic examination, treatment, and Issue 2 – May 15 (published in June) outcome, and end with a brief discussion. Issue 3 – August 15 (published in September) Issue 4 – November 15 (published in December) Book Reviews Brief review of a published book, including an over- All submissions should be in 10-point Arial font, view and critique of the contents and where to obtain single spaced. Submissions may be edited to fit the the book. space available. We can also use editors to proof-read submissions Publication Abstracts or review articles. Please contact the Editor if you are Abstracts of published veterinary and scientific jour- interested in assisting. nals with full citation/reference (authors, date, title, and The World Aquatic Veterinary Medical Association journal volume and page numbers – ½-1 page). also has opportunities for members to assist with committees. Contact any member of the Executive Board to volunteer to help.

Do you have a story to tell about how you became involved with aquatic veterinary medicine?

Send your article (<1,000 words) with pictures to [email protected].

20 THE WORLD AQUATIC VETERINARY MEDICAL ASSOCIATION Volume 10, Number 3 THE AQUATIC VETERINARIAN Third Quarter 2016 GRAND ROUNDS CASES

Questions & Answers from the WAVMA Listserv Tick removal instructions from Doctors Foster ([email protected]) and Smith website:

Ticks on Turtles Ticks should be manually removed from the reptile using small forceps or tweezers. Hello WAVMA members, 1. Grab the tick by the head or mouth parts right where they enter the skin. Do not grasp the tick My lawn man in Florida just called, his “pet” turtle by the body. who lives outside has a tick on his neck. The turtle 2. Without jerking, pull firmly and steadily directly retracts his neck when trying to remove the tick. Any outward. Do not twist the tick as you are pulling. suggestions? 3. Using methods such as applying petroleum I don’t know which (if any) products are safe for jelly, a hot match, or alcohol will NOT cause the use in Chelonians. Does anyone have experience tick to 'back out.' In fact, these irritants may with parasiticides that are safe for tick removal in cause the tick to deposit more disease-carrying Chelonians? saliva in the wound. Thanks, 4. After removing the tick, place it in a jar of alco-

hol to kill it. Ticks are NOT killed by flushing Sharon R. Tiberio, DVM, CertAqV them down the toilet. Certified Aquatic Veterinarian My Fish Vet, Inc. 5. Wash your hands thoroughly. [email protected] Please do not use your fingers to remove or dis- pose of the tick. We do not want you in contact with Fipronil is safe and effective. Semi-aquatic spe- a potentially disease-carrying tick. Do NOT squash cies need to be dry-docked. [Kept out of water during the tick with your fingers. The contents of the tick treatment.] can transmit disease. See complete article here: Adolf Maas http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm? c=17+1796&aid=2433 Has anyone tried using Afoxolaner (Nexgard) or Fluralaner (Bravecto) for tick prevention in aquatic/ semi-aquatic species? I only wonder because it is an Control and eradication of chelonian tick oral administration, and in theory, individuals may infestations, with particular reference to vectors not need to be dry-docked. of heartwater. Burridge MJ1, Simmons LA, Peter TF, Mahan SM. Eric M. Littman, DVM Candidate 2017 Annals of N Y Acad Sci. 2002 Oct;969:294-6. Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine

Tufts University Abstract [email protected] Studies using the African tortoise tick I see this a lot especially in wild forest tortoises (Amblyomma marmoreum) and leopard tortoises and sliders. I mostly see ticks tucked in leg folds by (Geochelone pardalis) demonstrated that cyfluthrin the carapace or plastron and rarely on the neck and permethrin were safe and efficacious acaricides area. I have always pulled them off with flathead for control of Amblyomma ticks on tortoises. (not rat-toothed) forceps or tweezers dipped in alco- A protocol was developed that successfully eradi- hol or alcoxidine. Grab the tick as close to the cated an A. sparsum infestation from a tortoise mouthparts as you can and pull gently and firmly to breeding facility in Florida. It involved treatment of all dislodge the tick with head intact. Takes about 5 tortoises with a permethrin formulation, followed by minutes. Check for underlying causes of infection treatment of the premises with a cyfluthrin formula- unless they are to be immediately released to the tion. Sentinel tortoises were later placed on the wild. treated premises to establish successful tick eradication. Elizabeth Kaufman, DVM PMID: 12381608 Jerusalem Biblical Zoo Jerusalem, Israel [email protected] www.jerusalemzoo.org.il

WAVMA.ORG 21 Volume 10, Number 3 THE AQUATIC VETERINARIAN Third Quarter 2016 RESEARCH ARTICLES

RAISING SEA TURTLES FOR RESEARCH

Jeanette Wyneken, Ph.D. Dept. of Biological Sciences, Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, Florida 33431-0991, [email protected]

Marine turtles are imperiled species worldwide and are managed for species recovery. Many aspects of the biology and health of the species can be identified through field captures and surveys of nesting females and their hatchlings. However, significant and important data gaps exist in our knowledge of these turtles because so little of their life occurs on land; they effec- tively are inaccessible for most of their lives. The hatchling life stages disperse quickly, often traveling hun- Figure 2. We conducted several months of laboratory dreds of km from nearshore waters and hence their bi- testing of satellite track tag attachments to insure that ology and health are difficult to study. Captive rearing the turtles swam, fed, dived, and grew normally. allows one to focus upon distinct life stages and to ad- Additionally the tags had to shed without assistance. dress key questions regarding nutrition, disease occur- Before releasing the turtles in the Gulf Stream Current, rence, and disease treatment. we also observed their behavior when fitted with tags My laboratory has worked with and maintained three in the field. Here I snorkel behind a loggerhead shortly species of marine turtles (loggerhead, Caretta caretta; before it was released. (See Mansfield et al. 2012). green, Chelonia mydas; leatherback, Dermochelys cori- Photo, with permission, Jim Abernerthy. acea; Figure 1) for short (2-6 months) periods of captivity. Turtles are captured at marked nests equipped with environmental monitoring equipment. Our goal is to ad- Stokes et al. 2006, Wyneken et al. 2007, Gless et al. dress key demographic data gaps (What are hatchling 2008, Miller et al. 2009, Mansfield et al. 2012, Mans- sex ratios and how do they vary?), behavioral issues field et al. 2014, Dudley et al. 2014, Wyneken and (Do sea turtles have color vision? Are sea turtle at- Lolavar 2015). tracted to fishing lights?), and to test techniques (such In the process of developing increasingly effective how to safely satellite tag neonate sea turtles to identify ways to raise healthy turtles for our studies, we devel- their at-sea nursery grounds). By having neonate turtles oped procedures that contribute to herd health. Each in the lab, we were able to extend accurate laparo- species and project presents us with different chal- scopic sex identification to neonates, something consid- lenges to successful captive rearing and in all cases ered to be impossible before we started in 2002. Exam- the final outcome is the release of each turtle into an ples of how we rely upon captive rearing for research appropriate habitat in excellent health (Figure 2). Nev- are highlighted in several published studies (including ertheless, the basics apply: select appropriate animals, maintain detailed signalment records, use quarantine procedures, provide sound conditions for growth and behavior, monitor the turtles’ feeding and processing daily, train husbandry staff (students in this case), and create a culture that is open to innovation, correction, and refinement. The hard-shelled or cheloniid species (green and loggerhead turtles in our lab; Figure 3) have been maintained in laboratories for years (see Higgins 2003) and as neonates and small juveniles are carnivorous or omnivorous (feeding on small crustaceans, gelatinous eggs and organism, as well as algae, usually with epibionts). Leatherbacks are exceptionally difficult to raise because of their pelagic (open ocean) life — they do not recognize barriers such as tank walls — and Figure 1. Hatchling green turtles at emergence from their exceptionally specialized diet of gelatinous prey the nest. For sex ratio studies we bring in 10 turtles such as lion’s mane jellyfish, pelagic tunicates and per nest to raise for several months to 120 g size for pyrosomes. Our innovations in their captive diet have sex identification. J. Wyneken photo. enabled us to advance husbandry of this species suffi-

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Our seawater comes from nearshore pipes and is filtered naturally by several meters of overlying sand. For most of the year, our water temperatures are appropriate for our turtles’ health and growth. The seawater system is an open flow plan (once though) but can be semi-closed so that we can use fill and flush methods if needed. Rarely, water temperatures during the winter are low enough to require appropriate heating to keep water no less than 22º C. We have developed appropriate diets for each species and continue to modify their composition as we learn more about the species’ requirements and limita- tions. Our cheloniid diets are modification of the loggerhead diet described by Choromanski et al. (1997). Leatherback diets continue to evolve and are derived Figure 3. Neonate loggerhead turtle. We house the from Deraniyagala (1936) and Jones et al. (2000). We turtles in floating flow-through baskets that provide use a gelatin base for all of our diets to help standard- isolation to prevent aggression. The baskets also ize the quantity of food given. We adjust the food serve as surrogate habitat for this species that, quantity to target healthy growth rates (9-11% of body as neonates, inhabit spaces in Sargassum mats. weight for this rapidly growing life stage). J. Wyneken photo. ciently to enable several developmental, behavioral and health studies (for example, Gless et al. 2008). Because we work along an urbanized coastline where water quality varies and predator concentrations are high, we raise our animals at an indoor facility where the animals are adequately protected. Conse- quently, we treat incoming ocean water and illuminate our holding tanks with UVA & UVB light to support adequate calcium metabolism. We have used ZooMed linear fluorescent ReptiSun 5.0 bulbs since they became available. For several years we paired ReptiSun 10.0 and 5.0 bulbs to no greater advantage, so returned to using the 5.0 bulbs. We saw no decrease in animal health with occasional single bulbs and so economize where possible. (Our studies are supported by small grants and donations.) This year we are pair- ing ReptiSun 5.0 (UVA & UVB) with NatureSun 5.0 (UVA) over each tank (14”-18” from the bulb to surface). Hatchlings and the small juveniles we rear are surface-dwellers and the bulbs are bare so there are no barriers between the bulbs and the water surface (Figure 4).

Figure 4. After quarantine, these loggerheads are placed in tanks in the colony that are equipped with ZooMed ReptiSun 5.0 bulbs. Each turtle has a system of spots (children’s fingernail polish) on its scutes that serve as its “ID number.” J. Wyneken photo.

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As with any wildlife study, monitoring the health Acknowledgments status of the turtles we collect is essential. We work I am grateful to the following agencies and individu- closely with veterinarians who are experts in sea turtle als. The studies have been funded by U.S. EPA STAR health, including clinicians (Drs. C.A. Harms, D.R. Program GAD; grant number: R82-9094, Disney World Mader, J.F. Weege,) and pathologists (Drs. D.L. Miller, Conservation Fund/Disney Wildlife Conservation, Save B.A. Stacy, and M. Garner). Consequently, several Our Seas Foundation, National Marine Fisheries Ser- health studies have developed opportunistically (for vice, National Save the Sea Turtle Foundation, Florida example, Govett et al. 2005, Miller et al. 2009). Sea Turtle License Plate Grants, AWC Foundation, The Florida Atlantic University Marine Laboratory Nelligan Sea Turtle Research, Devoceanjewlery.com, (Figure 5) is just one component of a multi-user facility and personal funds. located within the Gumbo Limbo Environmental Com- J. Weege, D. Mader, D. Miller, C. Harms, B. Stacy, plex in Boca Ration, Florida. The laboratory also hosts M. Garner, C. Manire, and J. Perrault provided exper- important studies on shark and ray sensory biology tise on turtle health during several stages of the pro- and behavior, and ocean acidification effects on algae, jects. L. Crowder, S. Epperly, M. Godfrey, S. Heppell, sea grass, and mangrove roots). Consequently, our J.D. Miller, K. Mansfield, M. Salmon, and T. Wibbels facilities must provide appropriate conditions for a vari- collaborated on several aspects of the sex ratio, be- ety of studies and species. Additionally, our lab is located in a city park/nature center complex where we have an obligation to allow visitors to see the ongoing Figure 5. The Florida Atlantic University Marine Lab science and to explain what we do to visiting public. is a busy “working lab.” Visitors on our observation The lab has an elevated gallery where the public can platform see tanks of turtles as well as the superstruc- observe what we do and ask questions. Most visitors ture that supports our labs, GFI electrical lines, are genuinely curious, and students as well as faculty and the scientists and scientists-in-training (students) researchers often pause during daily tasks to answer who make this long term research portfolio possible. their questions. J. Wyneken photo.

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havioral and ecological studies made possible by the First satellite tracks of neonate sea turtles redefine the turtles in the laboratory. E. Noonburg and E. Proffitt ‘lost years’ oceanic niche. Proc. R. Soc. B 281: assisted with the study design and analyses. M. 20133039. http://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2013.3039 Salmon provided outstanding feedback that improved this manuscript. Mansfield KL, Wyneken J, Rittschof D, Walsh M, Lim The studies would not have been possible without CW, Richards P. 2012. Satellite tag attachment meth- tremendous help of the FAU Sea Turtle Lab students. ods for tracking neonate sea turtles. Marine Ecology We particularly thank L. Bachler, K. Blair, L. Celano S. Progress Series. 457:181–192 Ceriani, C. Gonzales, M. Rogers, L. Stokes, J. Vaughan, M. Young, and N. Warraich. N. Tempel pro- Miller DL, Wyneken J, Rajeev S, Perrault J, Mader DR, vided key logistical support. K. Rusenko, the Gumbo Weege J, Baldwin CA. 2009. Pathological findings in Limbo Sea Turtle Program, the Loggerhead Marinelife hatchling and posthatchling leatherback sea turtles Center, and the Sanibel Captiva Conservation Founda- (Dermochelys coriacea) from Florida. Journal of Wild- tion provided nest access and coordination. Jim Aber- life Diseases. 45(4):962–971 nethy Scuba Adventures assisted with at sea turtle releases. The studies were conducted under FAU IA- Stokes, L, Wyneken J, Crowder L, Marsh J. 2007. The CUC approval, Florida Sea Turtle permit 073, and influence of temporal and spatial origin on size and USFWS permits to JW. early growth rates in captive loggerhead sea turtles (Caretta caretta) in the United States. Herpetological References Conservation and Biology 1(2):71-80

Choromanski, JM, George, RH, Bellmund, SA. 1987. Wyneken, J, Epperly, S, Crowder L. B., Vaughan J. Nutritional benefit of a marine animal gelatin diet as Blair K. 2007. Determining sex in posthatchling log- measured by sea turtle blood chemistry values. gerhead sea turtles using multiple gonadal and acces- Proceedings of 1987 AAZPA National Conference. sory duct characteristics. Herpetologica 63(1):19–30.

Deraniyagala, PEP. 1939. The tetrapod reptiles of Wyneken J, Lolavar A. 2015. Loggerhead sea turtle Ceylon. Vol. 1. Testudinates and crocodilians. Co- environmental sex determination: Implications of mois- lombo Mus. Nat. Hist. Ser., Colombo, Ceylon, 412 pp. ture and temperature for climate change based predic- tions for species survival. J. Exp. Zool. (Mol. Dev. Dudley PN, Bonazza R, Jones, TT, Wyneken J, Porter Evol.) 324B:295–314. WP. 2014. Leatherbacks swimming in silico: modeling and verifying their momentum and heat balance using computational fluid dynamics: E110701. PLoS One, 9 (10) doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0110701

Gless, J, Salmon M and Wyneken J. 2008. Behavioral responses of juvenile leatherbacks (Dermochelys coriacea) to 3 lights used in the longline fishery. Endan- gered Species Research 5: 239-247

Govett, PD, Harms CA, Linder KE, Marsh JC, Wyne- ken J. 2005. Effect of Four Different Suture Materials on the Surgical Wound Healing of Loggerhead Sea Turtles (Caretta caretta). Journal of Herpetological Medicine and Surgery. 14(4):6-11

Higgins, BM. 2003. Sea turtle husbandry. The Biology of Sea Turtles, Lutz P, Musick J and Wyneken, J, ed. Vol.2, pp.411-440.

Jones, TT, Salmon M, Wyneken J, Johnson C. 2000. Rearing leatherback hatchlings: protocols, growth and survival. Marine Turtle Newsletter No. 90: 3-6.

Mansfield KL, Wyneken J, Porter WP, Luo J. 2014

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Quarantine to Prevent or Control Disease Will new animals be placed in the water with the Outbreaks in an Aquatic Environment fish? Will there be new plants or other objects placed Sherri L. Kasper, DVM in the water? Northwood Animal Hospital, Tallahassee, FL, USA After asking these questions, I explain to the owner where I see the potential for pathogen introduction. I A biosecurity program is a protocol that identifies discuss possible viral, bacterial, fungal and parasitic and attempts to mitigate the introduction of those diseases and what morbidity they could cause. Then threats that will cause unacceptable morbidity or mor- we discuss what changes I would like to see while tality in your patient population (Oidtmann et al. keeping an open mind to what the client needs and 2011). The best program will take into account the can accomplish. threats for each individual population and discuss with An example of this can be seen in a biosecurity the clients what acceptable morbidity is for their facil- protocol I established for a small goldfish pond. The ity. One of the most important parts of the biosecurity client had a pond cleaner coming in every 3 months. program is the development of a quarantine system. This group cleaned the pond with the same equipment Most veterinarians understand the importance of that they had just used to clean several other ponds quarantine, but it is our role to educate the client in its that day. The client had never considered the possibil- importance by explaining what pathogens may be ity that this equipment may carry disease. She knew introduced with the addition of new life to the aquar- she couldn’t clean the pond herself, but she did have ium. her own equipment. She had never considered having As a veterinarian, I have worked with a small local them use her equipment. In another case, a client had aquarium, a fish farm that ships internationally, and a small aquarium open to the public at anytime of day several pet fish owners. With each type of fish owner, due to lack of security. Local fishermen would bring in I have been able to use the same standard of care, random fish or invertebrates that they caught in nets but have adapted them to the individual owner’s and place them in tanks. In some aquaculture estab- needs. The most challenging aspect about animal lishments you may need to prevent people that have medicine is that we are responsible for both the been with other fish within 24 hours from even entering needs of the animal and the owner of that animal. It is the farm or aquarium, but here that was not an option, important to keep that in mind when establishing a so we compromised by focusing on what equipment biosecurity program for your patients. would be in direct contact with the fish and in securing In this paper I will review a list of questions that the premises throughout the night. can be used to help find a balance between the owner’s needs and the needs of the aquatic animal in Water Quality establishing a biosecurity program that will include If an aquatic biosecurity protocol is defined as a ongoing veterinary care. I will review the options that protocol established to identify and assess hazards for should be considered for a quarantine program that fish, then there is nothing more important then assess- will prevent the majority of disease outbreaks, including water quality. Usually, when veterinarians are dis- ing weighing the risks of prophylactic treatments. The cussing water quality it centers on the nitrogen cycle tools found in this paper will help the owner and the and biological filtration. For biosecurity, it is also impor- veterinarian mitigate the greatest threats to the popu- tant to look at the water source, pond history, animal lation. and plant levels, and water treatments. Water source (if city water, what is the city water Pathogen Introduction treated with; if well water, has your well wa- Oidtmann et al. (2011) explains that you need to ter been tested for bacteria or heavy metals; start with hazard identification (pathogens) that might if seawater, are you testing the salinity levels be threats to the fish and routes of possible contami- regularly)? nation. Start by looking at the type or types of fish you How frequently is water added to the pond/ will be working with and the type of facility in which aquarium? the fish are housed. It is important to remember that How frequently is the water tested and who is wild water tends to have connectivity with ponds even testing it? if the pond is an artificial body of water. What is the water being tested for? I begin with the following questions: If there are problems with the water, what is the Who or what will be in contact with the pond or contingency plan? aquarium (veterinarians and staff members, What lived in the pond/ aquarium before the fish wildlife, pond/aquarium cleaner)? that are present? What instruments will enter the body of water? Has the pond/aquarium sediment been cleaned?

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Have new plants been added? What is done amount of stress on their immune system. It may take with the plants before they are added? over 30 days to see the effects of that pathogen. When Has the water been treated with any type of deciding on the quarantine length it important to con- medication? sider the fish species and what diseases you might be The type of water source is important to know quarantining for. what treatments were performed on the water before Do they have space for an isolated pond or large it entered the property, possible pathogens that might aquarium? be present, and variance of salinity. At one client’s How many fish will be brought in at a time? facility, the water was brought in from a bay. There Will the fish be tested at multiple times through the was a fresh water source that entered the bay in the quarantine period or just at the beginning or same area where the collection pipe was located. end? Over time, sediment around the pipe shifted, allowing (This will depend on the amount the owners for the water source to become more fresh water than want to spend on veterinary care. There needs salt water. Using the bay water also allowed patho- to be an understanding that if fish are tested gens that were overwhelming fish in the bay to enter only at the end of quarantine and disease is the aquarium. Provisions to increase salinity checks found, the quarantine will need to go on longer and use ozone to treat the incoming water helped while the fish are being treated.) decrease the risk to the aquarium. Will medications or prophylactic treatments be Frequently, I have clients using city water to fill used? their ponds and aquariums. They may be using de- chlorinators that are ineffective for the type of chlorine Including veterinary care in your biosecurity (or chloramine) used in the water. They may also be protocol dechlorinating after the water is already in the tank or Once you have established what risk of disease the pond. I discuss with clients how to use a de- fish have, you need to review what you can do as a chlorinator during water changes or when water is veterinarian to help avoid these risks. Hardfield (2011) added to the tank and explain that any amount of surveyed 60 public aquariums, showing that 41% chlorine or chloramine can cause damage to the fish. used a visual exam including testing of fish through gill Sediment in an old aquarium or pond may be a biopsies, skin scrapes and fin clips in quarantined fish. large source of hazards. In ponds that have not had The frequency that testing occurs depends on the sediment removed over long periods, low oxygen lev- type of client and what their resources are. I recom- els deep in the sediment may allow for anaerobic bac- mend testing after a 48-hour acclimation period and at terial growth that can produce sulfur wells that when the end of quarantine for all of my clients. Clients need disturbed can cause high mortality from Hydrogen to be educated on the clinical signs of disease so that Sulfide toxicity. Sediment can also contain bacteria or they can inform the veterinarian if their quarantined encysted parasites that are waiting for the right envi- animals are showing signs of illness. Exams should be ronment to flourish. It is important to discuss how this preformed if illness is suspected. can be corrected or avoided for the future. Vaccines may be helpful in certain scenarios. The effectiveness of the vaccines and risks involved with Feeding administering vaccines need to be reviewed with the The food source and how it is fed are important to client. Some vaccines will cause a fish to test positive avoid the transfer of disease. It is important to know if for the virus or bacteria. This may prevent showing of the ingredients in the food are safe for consumption that fish (i.e., entering into a koi show). The client may and if it has enough vitamins and other nutrients to also be concerned with costs of vaccines in compari- maintain optimal health. son to the cost of the disease. Before reviewing vac- Are the fish being fed live feed? cines with your client, be aware of all the positive and Are the fish being fed frozen fish? negative aspects of the vaccine. Is the food from a source that raises and tests the Many biosecurity protocols include the use of pro- food fish? phylactic treatments on all newly acquired fish. This How old is the food that is being fed? should be based on the history of the aquarium and Are they feeding through cold weather periods? the fish that are being acquired. If the fish are acquired from a breeding facility that is testing for most trans- Introduction of new animals and plants missible diseases, then slow acclimation is the most Most private aquariums and pond owners do not important treatment. If the source of the fish is ques- use a quarantine period when introducing new ani- tionable, it may be important to consider treatment for mals or plants. I explain to the owners that most dis- parasites and a prolonged quarantine time. ease will not show in fish until there is a significant

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According to C.A. Hardfield (2011), during a sur- Staying involved with the client’s biosecurity proto- vey of several different sized public aquariums, it was col may be as simple as reviewing the protocol and its noted that all the facilities that used prophylactic outcomes on a semi-annual basis. Using statistics dur- medications waited 3-4 days post-arrival to start any ing this review will help the client to visualize the sig- treatments. Most of the institutions used salinity nificance of the protocol as it is being implemented. If a changes with careful considerations of temperature significant improvement has not been accomplished, and pH. Other treatments used included copper sul- then additional protocols can be added. fate, chloroquine baths, organophosphates, fenben- The odds ratio (OR) is commonly used to assess dazole, and metronidazole. Before establishing which clinical trials. “The OR represents the odds that an out- prophylactic treatment to use, the veterinarian needs come will occur given a particular exposure, compared to consider species sensitivity and pathogen sensitiv- to the odds of the outcome occurring in the absence of ity to the treatment, legal plans for disposal and food that exposure” (Szumilas 2010). Consider the expo- withdrawal regulations. I do not use prophylactic treat- sure to be the absence or presence of a biosecurity ments in most of my quarantine protocols due to the (BS) protocol, where OR = (a/b)/(b/d). The letters a, b, potential for species sensitivity to different treatments c, d represent pre- and post-biosecurity measure im- and the chance of inducing resistance of bacteria and plementation and whether the animals incurred any parasites to medications if not used correctly. The mortalities. following table includes treatments as described in Noga (2010). Treatment Dose Used to Treat Possible Side Effect/ Toxicity Salt 3-5 PPT (0.3-0.5%) Stabilize osmotic stress Osmotic damage to the and treat some tissues if overdosed or in ectoparasites sensitive species Copper Sulfate Levels need to be maintained Ectoparasites, protozoa, Very unstable and dosage between 0.15 and 0.20 mg/L monogenea, water mold, depends on the pH and (must be tested daily using a Flavobacterium alkalinity of the water. commercial kit) Can cause damage to the gills, immunosuppression or immunostimulation, depend- ing on the species treated. Hyposalinity Dip: fresh water 3-15 minutes. Cryptocaryon irritans and Many species are unable to [Reducing salinity in Prolonged bath: decrease 5-10 other ectoparasites tolerate low salinity. If you the water for ppt daily until reaching 16 ppt are not certain of the spe- saltwater fish] for 3 weeks. Invertebrates will cies you are working with do not attempt hyposalinity. not tolerate this. Organophosphate Trichlorfon- ectoparasites Causes inhibition of acetyl- sea lice 15-300 mg/L at choinesterase, damaging 3-18C for 15-60 minutes. neurotransmission. It can last for several weeks in some species, with an addi- isopods 2 mg/L for 60 minutes tive effect.

in ponds 0.25 mg/L

Fendbendazole Bath: 2 mg/L once weekly for 3 Non-encysted nematodes weeks; found in the gastrointesti- Orally: 25 mg/kg SID for 3 nal system days; 50 mg/kg once weekly for 2 weeks Metronidazole Bath: 5 mg/L for 3 hours every Hexamitosis, No toxic effects are listed for other day with 50% water Spironucleosis fish, but there are several changes between; neurologic toxicities in small Oral: 25 mg/kg SID for 5-10 animals. days.

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OR = (a/b)/(b/d): Book Review a: Number of exposed cases (++) = pre-BS with mortality Health Care & b: Number of exposed non-cases (+-) = pre-BS Rehabilitation with no mortality of Turtles and c: Number of unexposed cases (-+) = post-BS Tortoises with mortality By Amanda d: Number of unexposed non-cases (--) = post- Ebenhack BS with no mortality. $39.95; Soft cover, Calculating a confidence interval (CI) and under- Pages 393. standing its significance will allow the veterinarian to assess the outcome. The CI can be calculated using a natural log or by using one of several calculators that can be found on the internet. The upper and lower limits of the CI should not span across 1. They should both be above 1 or both be less than 1 to show a significant outcome. The use of an OR will only be helpful with aquariums and ponds that have already dealt with mortality and morbidity. With wildlife and fish farms it may be possible to use other forms of statistical analysis. Turtles and tortoises have been around for over These require information regarding the average mor- 250 million years. In recent times, turtles and tor- tality and morbidity of the hazards you expect to en- toises have been hardy and interesting family pets. counter as seen in other populations. These prehistoric beauties are worthy of our respect, In the veterinary community there is little doubt that both in captivity and in nature, particularly as it per- a biosecurity protocol will improve the survival rate in tains to proper care, feeding, and especially when any aquatic environment. It is our job to educate the they require medical treatment. clients to follow through with the advice given and Most incidents causing the demise of these won- communicate any concerns they have with the out- derful creatures in nature result from human interfer- come. This paper gives an introduction that can be ence. Many are hit by automobiles, chewed on by used to begin this communication. dogs, and run over by mowers. Although some injuries may appear fatal, turtles and tortoises have References amazing abilities to heal. To an inexperienced eye, Hardfield, C.A, & L.A. Clayton (2011). Fish quarantine: many shell fractures and injuries look fatal when they current practices in public zoos and aquaria. J. Zoo. are not. Many veterinarians not experienced with Wildlife Med., 42(2): 641-650. chelonians may euthanize an animal without even attempting rehabilitation. Oidtmann, B.C., M.A. Thrush, K.L. Denahm & E.J. In addition to a wealth of information on anatomy, Peeler (2011). International and national biosecurity captive care, diet and nutrition, and indoor and out- strategies in aquatic animal health”. Aquaculture, 320: door enclosure design, this book describes the medi- 22-33. cal care of injured turtles and tortoises. Also included is general first aide and supportive care for most af- Noga, E.J. 2010. Fish Disease: Diagnosis and Treat- flictions that can befall turtles both in nature and in ment. 2nd Edition, Iowa State University Press, Iowa. captivity. This exciting and informative book features 536 pp. the most current information on hydration, tube feeding, shell fractures and wound care, shell conditions, Szumilas, M. 2010. “Explaining Odds Ratios”. J. Can. bacterial and viral diseases, respiratory illness, para- Acad. Child Adolesc. Psychiat., 19(3): 227–229. sites, and guidelines for checking for overall well- ness of injured or recovering turtles and tortoises.

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32 THE WORLD AQUATIC VETERINARY MEDICAL ASSOCIATION Volume 10, Number 3 THE AQUATIC VETERINARIAN Third Quarter 2016 LITERATURE REVIEW

Book Review

The Leatherback Turtle - Biology and Conservation Hardback, 246 pages, 9 b&w photos, 70 line drawings, 16 color plates. ISBN: 9781421417080 (2015)

Edited by James R. Spotila and Pilar Santidrián Tomillo

Weighing as much as 2,000 pounds and reaching lengths of over seven feet, leatherback turtles are the world’s largest reptile. These unusual sea turtles have a thick, pliable shell that helps them to withstand great depths—they can swim more than one thousand meters below the surface in search of food. And what food source sustains these goliaths? Their diet con- sists almost exclusively of jellyfish, a meal they criss- cross the oceans to find. Leatherbacks have been declining in recent decades, and some predict they will be gone by the end of this century. Why? Because of two primary factors: human redevelopment of nesting beaches and commercial fishing. There are only twenty-nine index beaches in the world where these turtles nest, and there is immense pressure to develop most of them into homes or resorts. At the same time, longline and gill net fisheries continue to overwhelm waters fre- quented by leatherbacks. In The Leatherback Turtle, James R. Spotila and Pilar Santidrián Tomillo bring together the world’s leading experts to produce a volume that reveals the biology of the leatherback while putting a spotlight on the In this excellent volume, the people who have spent conservation problems and solutions related to the their lives learning more, first-hand, about leatherback species. The book leaves us with options: embark on turtles than anyone in history, share centuries worth of the conservation strategy laid out within its pages and field-knowledge and deep thought. If this book was save one of nature’s most splendid creations, or watch available when I was writing Voyage of the Turtle, I’d yet another magnificent species disappear. have written a much better book!" James R. Spotila is the L. Drew Betz Chair Profes- — Carl Safina, author of Beyond Words: What Animals sor of Environmental Science at Drexel University and Think and Feel director of the Center for Biodiversity and Conserva- tion. The founding president of the International Sea HOW TO ORDER : Turtle Society and chairman of the board of The Leath- $70.00 Plus $7.00 for S&H in US. erback Trust, he is the author of Sea Turtles: A Com- Email us first at [email protected] for S&H plete Guide to Their Biology, Behavior, and Conserva- fees for all overseas orders. (And yes this includes tion and Saving Sea Turtles: Extraordinary Stories Canada) from the Battle against Extinction. Pilar Santidrián Tomillo is a Marie Curie Fellow at the Mediterranean 1) Send a check to Herpdigest/Allen Salzberg Institute for Advanced Studies and the research direc- 67-87 Booth Street -5B, Forest Hills, NY 11375. tor of The Leatherback Trust. Make the check out to Herpdigest. "The massive, magical leatherback remains the last ancient survivor of an otherwise now-extinct family of 2) By Paypal - our account is sea turtles. They survive as Earth’s heaviest reptile [email protected] (If you are not a member and a warm-blooded one to boot. They have been of Paypal you can still use it with your credit card.) called ‘the largest wild animal you can walk right up to Email us at [email protected] that you have with no fear of being attacked.’ placed an order at Paypal.

WAVMA.ORG 33 Volume 10, Number 3 THE AQUATIC VETERINARIAN Third Quarter 2016 LITERATURE REVIEW

AQUATIC VETERINARY ABSTRACTS: TURTLES Metabolic and respiratory status of stranded Compiled by David Scarfe juvenile loggerhead sea turtles (Caretta caretta): 66 cases (2008–2009) Surgical Approach to the Coelomic Cavity through Camacho M, MP Quintana, OP Luzardo, MD Estévez, the Axillary and Inguinal Regions in Sea Turtles P Calabuig & J Orós (2013). Di Bello, A, C. Valastro, F. Staffieri (2006). J. Amer. Vet. Med. Assoc., 242 (3): 396-401. JAVMA, 228 (6): 922-925.

Abstract Abstract: Objective—To describe a surgical approach to the Objective—To document venous blood gas, acid-base, coelomic cavity through the axillary and inguinal re- and plasma biochemical values for stranded juvenile gions in sea turtles. loggerhead turtles at admission to a rehabilitation facil- Design—Descriptive report; Animals—9 loggerhead ity, compare these values among stranding causes, sea turtles (Caretta caretta) that had ingested fish- investigate differences in these values for turtles that hooks or monofilament fishing line. survived versus those that died, and establish the Procedure—Turtles known to have ingested foreign baseline values for successfully rehabilitated logger- bodies were anesthetized. For the extraction of fish- head turtles (Caretta caretta). hooks located in the stomach, an approach to the Design—Retrospective case series. coelomic cavity through the soft tissues of the left axil- Animals—66 stranded juvenile loggerhead turtles that lary region (along the cranial margin of the plastron) were hospitalized between 2008 and 2009. was made. For the removal of fishhooks and long fishing lines in other portions of the intestinal tract, an ap- Procedures—Venous blood gas, acid-base, and proach to the coelomic cavity was performed via the plasma biochemical values at the time of admission were compared retrospectively among turtles with dif- inguinal region. Foreign bodies were removed via gas- ferent stranding causes. Initial results were compared trotomy or enterotomy. Results—Of the 9 loggerhead turtles, 3 had a fish- between turtles that survived and turtles that died. Re- hook in the stomach, 1 had a fishhook in the stomach sults for survivors were compared between the time of and fishing line throughout the intestinal tract, 2 had a admission and time of release. fishhook in the ileum and fishing line in the ileum and Results—57 (86.36%) turtles had various types of acid colon, and 3 had fishing line throughout the intestinal -base disorders at the time of admission to the rehabili- tract. Following surgery, 8 turtles recovered success- tation facility. Of these, 33 (579%) had mixed acid- fully; 1 turtle (in which an enterectomy was performed) base disorders and 24 (42.1%) had primary acid-base died. After approximately 8 weeks, the surviving turtles disorders. All acid-base disorders were classified as were well enough to be released from captivity. mild to moderate, except 1 case of severe metabolic Conclusions and Clinical Relevance—Results indi- and respiratory acidosis. Except for the debilitated tur- cated that an axillary approach to the coelomic cavity tles (in which the mean initial glucose concentration in sea turtles could be a useful alternative to plastron was much lower than that observed for the rest of tur- osteotomy. Moreover, the inguinal approach allows the tles), there was no difference in initial values when exteriorization of the intestinal tract from jejunum to comparing stranding causes. Turtles that died during colon, which facilitates surgical removal of long linear rehabilitation had significantly higher initial anion gap foreign bodies ingested by turtles. and osmolality, compared with turtles that survived. Conclusions and Clinical Relevance—Acid-base disor- The Chelonian Respiratory System ders were present in most stranded juvenile logger- Bennett T (2011). In: SE Orosz & CA Johnson (eds), head turtles. Evaluation of accurately obtained, tem- Veterinary Clinics of North America: Exotic Animal perature-corrected venous blood gas, acid-base, and Practice, 14(2): 225-239. plasma biochemical values can provide important clinical and prognostic information and a valuable basis for Abstract the implementation of adequate and rapid treatment for stranded loggerhead turtles admitted to rehabilita- This article reviews anatomy, physiology, diagnostic techniques, and specific disease syndromes of the tion facilities. chelonian respiratory system. Respiratory disease is common in chelonians and is a cause of significant morbidity and mortality in these animals. Mycoplasma, herpesvirus, and iridovirus are reviewed in depth.

34 THE WORLD AQUATIC VETERINARY MEDICAL ASSOCIATION Volume 10, Number 3 THE AQUATIC VETERINARIAN Third Quarter 2016 LITERATURE REVIEW

Know Your Sea Turtles

WAVMA.ORG 35 Volume 10, Number 3 THE AQUATIC VETERINARIAN Third Quarter 2016 CLINICAL REPORTS

Stranded Olive Ridley Marine Turtle in Guyana Sea turtles are often presented with buoyancy dis- By Devon Dublin orders, unable to float normally at the surface or sub- merge. Any condition leading to gas or air accumula- Background tion in the intestinal tract, the coelomic cavity, or pul- An Olive Ridley sea turtle was rescued by a speed- monary disease may cause abnormal buoy- boat operator in the vicinity of the Stabroek Market at ancy. Common causes include: 1) pneumonia, 2) gas- the mooring point for vessels in mid-May 2011. The trointestinal disease (e.g. motility disorders, spinal cord turtle when found, was thought to have had a hook in injury, enterocolitis, foreign body and other obstructive its mouth. What was clear was that it was discomfited processes leading to gas accumulation), and 3) free air and could not dive. in the coelomic cavity, which may occur from respira- It was transported to the National Zoo and kept tory or intestinal leakage or microbial fermentation. there. Dr. Nicholas Waldron made contact with Diagnosis of the primary problem may include blood WAVMA seeking assistance and guidance and provid- work, radiology, endoscopy (gastroscopy, broncho- ing the following information: scopy), culture, and laparoscopy. Initially the turtle “The animal seems physically intact except for should be stabilized and then attempts should be made some areas where barnacles were scraped off and to treat the primary disease. Coelomic free air noted what appears to be sun burn on the rear end of her radiographically should be aspirated by tilting the turtle shell. She is still active, trying to resist and to escape.” on its side and directing the head ventrally to bring the With the initial belief that the turtle was suffering air pocket up to the inguinal space. An extension set, from floating turtle syndrome, I started a thread of dis- appropriate sized needle, 3 way stopcock and syringe cussions in the WAMA members Listserv. are used to remove the air. For large quantities of air, a suction unit can be attached to remove air. Some tur- WAMA Members Listserv Discussions tles, especially those with spinal injuries, may remain abnormally buoyant for life. There might be a couple of reasons it is floating - gut stasis with gas build up, rupture of lung with air Other contributor’s and commenters were Dr. Greg- release to body cavity, a peritonitis with gas produc- ory Lewbart, Dr. Richmond Loh and Dr. Trista Welsh. tion, some type of iatrogenic or traumatic introduction of air. Syringe and needles can be used to pull off air Treatment and Conclusion that might be in the body cavity. To do this, simply turn The turtle was kept under observation and placed the turtle on its back and tip it cranially a bit so that on an antibiotic treatment regime which resulted in intestines fall forward. Insert the needle in the soft tis- marked improvement. Subsequently the turtle was re- sue between the plastron and hind limb at a 45 degree leased back to the seas by the Guyana Defense Force angle or less. Since the cause is unknown administer- Coast Guard. ing antibiotics is recommended. Ilze Berzins From Wikipedia Sea turtles (superfamily Chelonioidea) are reptiles Gastrointestinal stasis or ileus is a common cause of the order Testudines. The seven extant species of of morbidity in debilitated sea turtles and should be sea turtles are: the green, loggerhead, Kemp's differentiated from true obstruction. Stasis is precipi- ridley, olive ridley, hawksbill, flatback, and leatherback. tated by dehydration, foreign bodies, systemic disease, The Olive Ridley sea turtle (Lepidochelys olivacea) gastroenterocolitis and malnutrition. Diagnosis may be is named for the generally greenish colour of its skin aided with radiographs, positive contrast and ultra- and shell, or exterior. It also known as the Pacific sound. Ridley sea turtle, and is a medium-sized sea tur- Debilitated sea turtles often develop a secondary tle found in warm and tropical waters, primarily in the gastrointestinal stasis and obstruction. Chitinous de- Pacific and Indian Oceans. It is closely related to the bris, shell prey items and gas in the gastrointestinal Kemp’s Ridley (Lepidochelys kempii), with the primary tract are visible radiographically. The condition may distinction being that Olive Ridleys are found only in progress to impaction and obstruction requiring inten- warmer waters. sive medical or surgical therapy but is often resolved They are the smallest of the sea turtles, weighing with fluids, mineral oil and motility modifiers, such as up to 100 pounds (45 kilograms) and reaching only metaclopramide and cisapride, and enemas. In gen- about two feet (65 centimeters) in shell length. The eral resolve the obstruction prior to feeding or tube Olive Ridley has a slightly smaller head and smaller feeding the patient, though low residue foods can be shell than the Kemp’s Ridley sea turtle. beneficial. Dr. Terry Norton

36 THE WORLD AQUATIC VETERINARY MEDICAL ASSOCIATION Volume 10, Number 3 THE AQUATIC VETERINARIAN Third Quarter 2016 CLINICAL REPORTS

Further Reading and References Photo Above: “The Olive Green Ridley turtle being transported unto Hochscheid, S., Bentivegna, F. and Speakman, J. the Guyana Defense Force Coast Guard Vessel (MV (2003), The dual function of the lung in chelonian Pirai) with intent of releasing the endangered creature sea turtles: buoyancy control and oxygen stor- to its natural habitat” age, Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Credits: Kaieteur News Ecology, 297(2):123-140 Kaieteur News (2011), Olive Ridley turtle Below: returned to sea after intense treatment - An olive ridley in Escobilla Beach, Oaxaca, Mexico. prognosis very dim, available at: http:// Credits: Wikipedia www.kaieteurnewsonline.com/2011/06/05/olive- ridley-turtle-returned-to-sea-after-intense-treatment- prognosis-very-dim/ Minamikawa, S., Naito, Y., Sato, K., Matsuzawa, Y., Bando, T. and Sakamoto, W. (2000), Maintenance of neutral buoyancy by depth selection in the loggerhead turtle, Caretta caretta. J Exp Biol 203: 2967–2975 Schmitt, T., Munns, S., Adams, L. and Hicks, J. (2013), The use of spirometry to evaluate pulmonary function in Olive Ridley Sea Turtles (Lepidochelys Olivacea) with Positive Buoyancy Disorders. Journal of Zoo and Wildlife medicine 44: 645–653.

WAVMA.ORG 37 Volume 10, Number 3 THE AQUATIC VETERINARIAN Third Quarter 2016 NEWS AND VIEWS

WVA Benefit for WAVMA Members Veterinarian saves goldfish who swallowed a pebble If you’re like most Veterinary professionals you 9/19/2016 recognize how important Continuing Education is to stay up-to-date with the latest thinking and innova- Emma Marsh, 21, of Kuraby, said she rushed her tions from the best educators. one-year-old fish to Brisbane Bird and Exotics Veteri- One of our roles is to source the best solutions for nary Service in Greenslopes after she saw him ingest our Veterinary professionals and following years of the pebble and start choking. development and multi-million dollar investment by Australian veterinarian Emma McMillan saved Con- our platform provider, the World Veterinary Associa- quer, a 1-year-old male goldfish who had swallowed a tion Education Portal has now been launched. pebble. The fish would've starved to death if the stone This powerful resource is connected to an interna- was left in place, so Dr. McMillan anesthetized the 13- tional network of hundreds of education courses from gram goldfish, then she used forceps to gently extract the world’s colleges, universities and leading thinkers the pebble. and is now available to you for free. Veterinarian Emma McMillan said even she was To take advantage of the leading Continuing Edu- surprised by the size of the pebble Conquer swal- cation network in the world please take a couple of lowed. minutes to register. You can then access courses “He is 13g and only 5cm long,” she said. “The peb- immediately. ble was about 8 or 9mm long and was stuck length- > You can join the platform by clicking here now< ways across the side of his mouth, which is why he couldn’t spit it back out. Best Regards, World Veterinary Association http://wva.learning.education/ Picture: Brisbane Bird and Exotic Veterinary Service

Full Story: The Courier -Mail (Brisbane, Australia)

Did you know?

WAVMA maintains an aquatic vet video library. Currently the videos cover a wide range of topics, including surgical procedures, diagnostic methods and guidance on how to be an aquatic veterinarian.

The videos can be accessed at: http://www.wavma.org/WAVMAs-Aquatic-Vet-Video-Library

In addition, if you have a video that you would like to make available to other WAVMA members, kindly contact [email protected].

38 THE WORLD AQUATIC VETERINARY MEDICAL ASSOCIATION Volume 10, Number 3 THE AQUATIC VETERINARIAN Third Quarter 2016 NEWS AND VIEWS

Bachelor's paradise: Female turtles outnumbering coming year by examining the gender structure of log- males due to warming temperatures: gerhead turtles in the Panhandle. Climate change posing long-term stability chal- She will also be working with conservationists and lenges for turtles government officials in Brazil to develop strategies to The Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and protect the population and ensure that the imbalance Ecology. does not negatively affect the species. Date: February 4, 2016 Source: Florida State University Story Source: The above post is reprinted from materials provided by Rising global temperatures may skew gender imbal- Florida State University. ance among the marine turtle population, according to new Florida State University research. Florida State Journal Reference: University Assistant Professor of Oceanography Maria A.G.dei Marcovaldi, Milagros López- Mariana Fuentes and a team of Brazilian researchers Mendilaharsu, Alexsandro S. Santos, Gustave G. Lo- have been examining Brazilian loggerhead turtles to pez, Matthew H. Godfrey, Frederico Tognin, Cecília see how rising temperatures affect that species. The Baptistotte, Joao C. Thomé, Augusto C.C. Dias, sex of marine hatchlings is influenced by incubating Jaqueline C. de Castilhos, Mariana M.P.B. Fuentes. temperatures, and warmer temperatures produce a Identification of loggerhead male producing beaches in higher number of female hatchlings. Researchers be- the south Atlantic: Implications for conservation. Jour- lieve projected increases in temperature will cause a nal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology, 2016; gender imbalance in marine turtle populations and are 477: 14 DOI: 10.1016/j.jembe.2016.01.001 trying to identify best practices to protect the species. "We're concerned we're going to have a feminization Florida State University. "Bachelor's paradise: Female of marine turtles," Fuentes said. "This study came from turtles outnumbering males due to warming temps: the need to understand the current sex ratio being pro- Climate change posing long-term stability challenges duced at loggerhead nesting grounds to establish base- for turtles." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 4 February line parameters as climate change progresses and to 2016. identify beaches that produce a higher proportion of . Fuentes and her team were specifically trying to identify beaches that produce higher numbers of male turtles, so they could get a broader view of areas where From Wikipedia: imbalances were already occurring. In northern Brazil, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loggerhead_sea_turtle an exceptionally strong female bias -- 94 percent -- was observed in all nesting areas used by loggerhead tur- The loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta) is the tles. But, scientists were also able to identify nesting world's largest hard-shelled turtle. Adults have an av- beaches in southern Brazil that were producing a higher erage weight range of 80 to 200 kg (180 to 440 lb) and proportion of male hatchlings -- 47 percent -- which is a length range of 70 to 95 cm (28 to 37 in). The maxi- essential to sustain the population. mum reported weight is 545 kg (1,202 lb) and the long- "It's worrying that you could have an extreme skew est reported carapace length is 213 cm (84 in). in gender one way," Fuentes said. "Any changes in population structure can have real repercussions." The sex of marine turtle hatchlings is influenced by temperature, with optimal hatching temperatures falling between 75.2 degrees Fahrenheit to 93.2 degrees Fahrenheit. But, temperatures below 85.1 degrees tend to yield more male turtles and temperatures above that mark typically yield more female turtles. Scientists ex- amined 25 years' worth of data for 21 nesting beaches throughout coastal Brazil, about 373 miles worth of nesting areas, making it the most comprehensive of its kind. Though Fuentes and her team focused on Brazil, the results are applicable to other regions because all turtles have temperature-dependent sex determination. Fuentes plans to expand the research into Florida in the

WAVMA.ORG 39 Volume 10, Number 3 THE AQUATIC VETERINARIAN Third Quarter 2016 NEWS AND VIEWS

The Recovery of the World's Most Endangered Sea no longer be able to support a large number of sea Turtle Has Stalled - Six years after the Deepwater turtles. Wibbels pointed out that blue crabs, one of the Horizon disaster, Kemp's ridley sea turtle nesting turtles’ favorite foods, are in decline in many areas of has fallen to its worst level in years. the gulf. Other prey species may also be suffering, he Mar 30, 2016 John R. Platt, http://www.takepart.com/ said. “There may not be the resources out there for these animals.” Decades of efforts to restore the Gulf of Mexico’s The future of the Kemp’s ridley remains uncertain. populations of critically endangered Kemp’s Ridley sea “It’s possible that they’re going to keep going down or turtles have stalled and the species may be on the they could maintain themselves at this level,” Wibbels decline again, worrying new research reveals. Kemp’s said. He believes that ongoing monitoring will be nec- ridley sea turtles, the world’s rarest sea turtle species, essary to understand how well the turtles are repro- nearly went extinct in the second half of the last cen- ducing, how many are surviving, and how well the eco- tury after fishing nets devastated their populations. By system can support them in the future, if it can con- 1985 the species was down to its last 200 to 250 tinue to do so at all. breeding females. Habitat protection and conservation efforts helped turn that around, including the introduc- Frozen Solid, Abused Turtle Comes to Life tion of devices that allow sea turtles to escape fishing Mari A. Schaefer, Inquirer Staff Writer @MariSchaefer nets. Populations began rebounding during the 1990s, Posted: Tuesday, January 12, 2016 rising as much as 15 percent a year. “I considered it a gold star for how you do conservation,” said Thane Wibbels, a professor of biology at the University of Alabama at Birmingham and one of the authors of the new study. “It restored a species that was almost literally extinct.” That recovery has now stopped. Kemp’s ridley sea turtles laid eggs in just 14,000 nests last year, a 34 percent decline from 2009. Even worse, the new research — published on March 25 in the journal Eco- sphere — finds that nesting levels are now just a frac- tion of what they were back in 1947, when Kemp’s ridley turtles laid an estimated 120,000 to 180,000 nests. Those 1947 numbers, the first detailed calculation of historic nesting rates, reveal that the species is actually in much worse shape than previously thought. Elsa the turtle is on the road to recovery. Researchers made the calculation by looking at a fa- Pennsylvania SPCA image: http://media.philly.com/ mous 1947 film that captured images of a mass- images/600*400/rsz_elsa_2.jpg nesting event, called an arribada, at the species’ primary nesting site in Rancho Nuevo, Mexico. Then they Medical staff at The Pennsylvania SPCA's Shelter compared the film with nesting density rates in current Hospital were sure the red-eared slider turtle brought arribadas, something that couldn’t be done until recov- in, still frozen in a container, was dead. ery efforts allowed mass nesting to start again, to "When we looked at her there were no signs of life," come up with an estimate of historic activity. said Alicia Royer, nursing supervisor. But turtles can So why has recovery stalled? One possible expla- go into a state similar to hibernation when their heart- nation is the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil disaster. beat can drop to one or two beats a minute, she said. “The Deepwater Horizon spill occurred in a very critical Not wanting to give up, they contacted a reptile expert area for Kemp’s ridley,” Wibbels said. “It didn’t occur in at the University Of Pennsylvania veterinary hospital, nesting beaches, but it did occur in very well-known who suggested warmth therapy. and possibly important foraging grounds and develop- They placed it on a heating pad under a warming mental habitats.” lamp and towels, waited, and kept checking. After two The spill area is also an important migratory corri- hours Royer picked up the reptile to remove ice from dor: Most female turtles pass through it on their way to its foot, and she thought it moved. Reflex? Royer and from the nesting beach at Rancho Nuevo. Hatch- touched it's other leg. The turtle flinched. Then one lings, which already have a low survival rate due to eye blinked. predation, also travel on currents through the same "She's alive, she's alive," Royer yelled to the staff. region. "We were all super-excited," she said. Another possibility is that the Gulf of Mexico may

40 THE WORLD AQUATIC VETERINARY MEDICAL ASSOCIATION Volume 10, Number 3 THE AQUATIC VETERINARIAN Third Quarter 2016 NEWS AND VIEWS

An anonymous call alerted the PSPCA's Humane Alien red-ear sliders greatly outnumber Law Enforcement officers to the turtle's plight. They Japan’s own turtles discovered the reptile partially submerged in ice in a by Daisuke Kikuchi container on the porch of a row home in the 900 block The Japan Times Staff Writer of East Schiller Street in the city's Tioga section. The April 26, 2016 turtle's owners surrendered it to the officers. The PSPCA is investigating to see if criminal charges are Invasive red-ear slider turtles now vastly outnumber warranted, said spokesperson Gillian Kocher. endemic Japanese turtles and are causing significant The red-eared slider, the most common pet turtle, is stress to the ecosystem, according to the Environment native to the South Eastern USA and Mexico. It is con- Ministry. A study has put the number of red-ear sliders sidered an invasive species that competes with native at 8 million, eight times the total population of endemic species. species. Evidently this was not the first time the turtle had Originally suffered. It was missing toes, some of the tissue on its from the United limbs had died off and the shell was badly damaged, States, the ani- Kocher said. The staff named it turtle Two-toed mals are widely Tommy, a name more befitting to an organized-crime kept as pets. figure more than a limping turtle. But that was before However, they they discovered he was a she. can grow to a Now named Elsa, the damage to her toes and shell considerable hasn't stopped her from moving around. The shelter size and are estimates the turtle to be between five and 10 years often dumped in old; red-eared sliders can live up to 30 years. ponds and riv- Elsa still needs surgery to seal the broken shell, ers when they outgrow their lodgings. The species is which will be done at Penn, Kocher said. For now she known in Japan as midorigame and in some other is getting round the clock attention, antibiotics, pain countries as the red-ear terrapin. medications and a diet of dried shrimp, turtle food, “The growing population of red-ear slider turtles dried cranberries, meal worms and a special protein would mean the depopulation of insects, fish and other gel, said Royer. turtles that live on water weeds,” Masato Morikawa, an official in charge of monitoring alien species, told The Read more at: http://www.philly.com/philly/ Japan Times. “The population has gradually but con- news/20160113_Frozen_solid__abused_turtle_comes tinuously been increasing over the years.” _to_life.html#Rq7hTByTVoKtfHCd.99 The species is believed to have been introduced after World War II. From the 1970s, the animals were widely sold at matsuri (festivals) and pet shops. It is Discover core knowledge, skills & experience only one of several invasive turtle species now displac- needed to become a WAVMA Certified Aquatic ing local species. Veterinarian (CertAqV) The ministry said red-ear slider turtles have mainly colonized waterways in Kanto, Chubu and the Inland Did you know that WAVMA’s CertAqV Program Sea areas. The entire population is estimated to con- offers members the opportunity to become recognized sume up to 320 tons of water weeds each week. Mori- and certified as having competency in 9 core areas kawa conceded that the need to control other alien spe- deemed necessary to practice aquatic veterinary cies is more pressing as they can cause harm to hu- medicine and will be working with others on programs mans: the poisonous red-back spider and the snapping for recognizing highly specialized training? turtle, which can bite off a finger, are among the priori- More information is available at: ties. http://www.wavma.org/CertAqV-Pgm. “At this point, the red-ear slider turtles are extermi- nated only in areas that are extremely overpopulated, but we are strengthening measures against them,” he said. The ministry plans to restrict imports, crack down on the abandoning of pets and step up culls.

http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2016/04/26/national/ social-issues/alien-red-ear-sliders-greatly-outnumber- japans-turtles/#.VyjhZ00UVpR

WAVMA.ORG 41 Volume 10, Number 3 THE AQUATIC VETERINARIAN Third Quarter 2016 NEWS AND VIEWS

How Climate Change Could Make Sea Turtles Our strategy to protect sea turtles from rising seas Extinct - Rising sea levels threaten to swallow up must be comprehensive: prevent and reverse poor beaches that these marine animals need to nest. coastal development policies; make sure coastal resil- By Peter Fugazzotto iency projects are turtle friendly; in the worst cases, AlterNet / August 30, 2016 establish secondary nesting colonies to prevent catas- trophic extinction; reduce other threats to sea turtles Sea turtles already have it bad. Egg thieves. Mile- such as their drowning in fishing gear and illegal har- wide fishing nets. Sea walls. Now climate change vesting of eggs so baseline population numbers are may just push them over the edge. Across the globe, not so fragile. sea turtle population numbers have plummeted from And, of course, we need to reduce our climate historical accounts of abundance. For example, leath- change emissions to bring carbon dioxide levels below erback populations in the Eastern Pacific have 350 part per million and reduce ocean acidification. If dropped by 95 percent over the last generation. And we can reverse climate change, we might just give while bycatch in industrial fishing gear, coastal devel- endangered sea turtles a fighting chance. opment and their direct harvest have played a role in their decline, climate change may be the final nail in Peter Fugazzotto is the Strategic Programs Director at the coffin for these gentle ocean creatures. Turtle Island Restoration Network. The impacts of climate change are already well- documented: an increase in ocean temperatures, a more acidic ocean, melting ice caps and rising sea levels. It’s the last one that might be the worst for sea turtles. That’s because sea turtles nest and lay eggs on beaches around the world and many of these beaches are at risk of being submerged by rising sea levels, eroding shorelines and storm surges. University of Florida, You might wonder whether the pregnant sea tur- College of Veterinary Medicine tles can just find other nesting beaches on which to Guest Lecture Series lay their eggs. Turtles imprint at birth on the beach Presentations about Sea Turtles: where they are born, and scientists are not sure yet whether they can adapt in time. But looking at climate Ellen Ariel, PhD prediction data, we can already see that some current “Turtle Tribulations in Australia” discussing different beaches might be completely lost or nesting habitat types of marine turtles and problems they encounter reduced to a dangerously small amount. (45 minutes, given June 4, 2015). For example, look at the case of the Hawaiian green sea turtle, locally called the honu. Today 90 Michelle Davis, DVM, DACZM percent of the Hawaiian greens nest on French Frig- “Stranding & Rehabilitation Programs" covering an ate Shoals, part of an atoll located in the Northwest- overview of Sea World's veterinary rehabilitation of ma- ern Hawaiian Islands. Since the elevation of the nest- rine mammal, sea turtle, avian & other species, and ing beach on these islands is six feet above sea level, research programs with these animals (51 min, given the predicted sea level rise over the next hundred Nov. 20, 2013). years might completely inundate the honu’s main nesting site. https://www.wavma.org/Recorded-Aquatic-Veterinary- And the Hawaiian green is not the only species at Lectures-Presentations risk. Climate mapping prediction software has identified that Padre Island, Texas, the major U.S. nesting site for the endangered Kemp’s Ridley sea turtle, might also be completely lost. Other nesting beaches will erode due to climate change. In an ideal world, sea turtles might be able to follow these beaches as they retreat inland (if it not backed by a cliff). But poor coastal development policies, such as in Florida, will mean sea turtles will encounter sea walls and buildings, and have nowhere to nest.

42 THE WORLD AQUATIC VETERINARY MEDICAL ASSOCIATION Volume 10, Number 3 THE AQUATIC VETERINARIAN Third Quarter 2016 NEWS AND VIEWS

HUMAN HEALTH RISKS OF EATING SEA TURTLE intake of these toxins from fish, seafood and other envi- EGGS COULD BENEFIT SPECIES ronmental sources. Sea turtle eggs may contribute a By KIMBRA CUTLIP significant amount of these toxins. In the case of cad- SMITHSONIAN BLOG - 9/2/16 mium, average consumption rates can account for more than 30 percent of safe intake levels set by the World According to a new study, eating sea turtle eggs Health Organization, especially in young people from increases the health risk of heavy metal exposure in the age of five through young adulthood Long-term exposure to cadmium can cause kidney local communities in Panama and may provide a and skeletal problems in humans. The researchers also new strategy for conservation. Researchers from the found elevated levels of mercury, arsenic, manganese, Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute in Panama iron, copper and zinc in the turtle eggs. The effects of and McGill University collected eggs from green sea these heavy metals on humans range from neurological turtles (Chelonia mydas) and olive ridley turtles damage, reproductive health problems and various (Lepidochelys olivacea) from the Pacific coast of forms of cancer. Panama, and measured the heavy metal amounts— The effect of these toxins on the turtles remains unknown, although it is presumed to be just as detrimen- known to cause adverse health effects in humans— tal. The presence of toxins in the marine environment the eggs contained. The study was published in has grown dramatically in recent decades from mining June in the Journal of Environmental Science and runoff, industrial emissions and batteries and paints. Health. They found the eggs contained elevated lev- Sea turtles the world over have been found to have ele- els of a number of heavy metals, particularly cad- vated levels of heavy metals in their bodies, which mium at a level that could be toxic to young children could be having a negative impact on their health and who eat 20 eggs per week or more. That consump- reproductive rates. A more immediate threat to the turtles, however, comes from direct human activity such as tion figure may sound high, but during egg laying hunting, entanglement in fishing gear and the raiding of season, when the turtle eggs are an easy source of sea turtle nests. protein, it is consistent with the eating habits in iso- Although collecting turtle eggs is mostly prohibited lated coastal communities. throughout the tropical eastern Pacific, including Pa- Throughout the year, thousands of female sea nama, poaching is rampant and contributes to the dwin- turtles crawl onto beaches on both sides of the Isth- dling numbers of many sea turtle species. According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature, olive mus of Panama (Pacific and Caribbean) and lay ridley turtles are listed as vulnerable and green turtles eggs in the sand. The eggs are easily dug up, col- as endangered. lected, eaten or sold by locals. Because one nest Conservation efforts have increased awareness of can contain as many as 100 eggs, families living the problem, but among rural coastal communities, near laying beaches with no refrigeration can easily these campaigns have made limited progress. “Back in exceed the safe weekly consumption of a few eggs the ’70s, when I was a student in Costa Rica, the prac- per individual per day. tice of conservation campaigns was to produce coloring books to teach the kids to conserve, or to teach about “When you are in these local communities along the beautiful turtles in danger,” Guzman says. “Now, four coast, when it’s the season, the people eat them all the decades later and after a huge international effort, hon- time,” says Hector M. Guzman, a marine biologist at estly, I don’t think we have succeeded in protecting the the Tropical Research Institute. “You can buy a dozen turtles.” right on the street everywhere in the countryside, and He hopes this study will open a dialogue about pub- there are plenty in the market. Kids and pregnant lic health that might be more effective at conserving sea women eat them, and people put them in their drinks turtles by reducing demand for their eggs. “We need at bars.” more data of course; this is just preliminary while we The most damaging effects of eating so many eggs continue working in the Caribbean, but it is suggesting may be cumulative, Guzman explains. “It might not be that we should be careful about eating the eggs,” he that something is going to happen in one or two says. “I am a scientist, not a conservationist, but to me, weeks, or in one season,” he adds. “But if you do that it says talking about public health might be an ideal ap- every year of your life, you are bio-accumulating these proach to the conservation of sea turtles.” metals into your tissues.”

Heavy metals tend to stay in a person’s body, accu- http://insider.si.edu/2016/09/human-health-risks-of- mulating in fatty tissues over a lifetime. Heavy metals eating-sea-turtle-eggs-could-benefit-species/ consumed in turtle eggs are added to the normal daily

WAVMA.ORG 43 Volume 10, Number 3 THE AQUATIC VETERINARIAN Third Quarter 2016 LEGISLATIVE & REGULATORY ISSUES

Diamondback terrapins, popular Asian meat, SUMMARY: The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service pro- now off limits poses to list the Sonoyta mud turtle (Kinosternon so- Associated Press noriense longifemorale), a native subspecies from Ari- July 15, 2016 zona in the United States and Sonora in Mexico, as an TRENTON, N.J. (AP) -- endangered species under the Endangered Species Act. The effect of this regulation will be to add this sub- Diamondback terrapins, native North American species to the List of Endangered and Threat- turtles known for living in salty marshes along the ened Wildlife. coast and sometimes falling victim to auto traffic during the shore's busy summer months, can no longer DATES: We will accept comments received or post- be hunted or harvested in the state. Republican marked on or before November 21, 2016. Comments Governor Chris Christie signed legislation from the submitted electronically using the Federal Democrat-controlled Legislature in response to a eRulemaking Portal (see ADDRESSES below) must growing commercial market for terrapin meat, par- be received by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on the closing ticularly in the Asian food market, where the meat is date. We must receive requests for public hearings, in traditionally viewed as a symbol of longevity. writing, at the address shown in FOR FURTHER IN- "Today we join other Atlantic coastal states that FORMATION CONTACT by November 7, 2016. have taken an important step to prevent this unique species from any further decline toward extinction," ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by one of Christie said in a statement. "The diamondback ter- the following methods: rapin is a natural treasure and integral part of our (1) Electronically: Go to the Federal e-Rulemaking coastal landscape in New Jersey, and this action will Portal: http://www.regulations.gov. In the Search box, help to ensure the species remains a feature of our enter FWS-R2-ES-2016-0103, which is the docket natural landscape for generations to come." number for this rule making. Then, in the Search panel Though the terrapins have not been listed as en- on the left side of the screen, under the Document dangered or threatened in New Jersey, the state Type heading, click on the Proposed Rules link to lo- Department of Environmental Protection considers cate this document. You may submit a comment by their population to be decreasing. The DEP said it's clicking on “Comment Now!'' planning an investigation into how many of them are (2) By hard copy: Submit by U.S. mail or hand- left and what their habitat needs are. delivery to: Public Comments Processing, Attn: FWS- Under previous law, the terrapins could be har- R2-ES-2016-0103; U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Head- vested in the winter months when they were hiber- quarters, MS: BPHC, 5275 Leesburg Pike, Falls nating, but the DEP ended the season early this Church, VA 22041-3803. year because of concerns over their populations. We will post all comments on http:// It's not just the harvesting that's threatening the www.regulations.gov. This generally means that we terrapins, though. The Wetlands Institute estimates will post any personal information you provide us (see that about 500 terrapins are killed by vehicles every Public Comments below for more information). year in Cape May County alone. The causeways that connect the mainland to the barrier islands are FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: ideal nesting areas, with plenty of sun. They also Steve Spangle, Field Supervisor, U.S. Fish and Wild- happen to be traffic-heavy areas that result in the life Service, Arizona Ecological Services Field Of- creatures getting hit and killed by passing cars, Wet- fice, 9828 North 31st Ave. #C3, Phoenix, AZ 85051- lands Institute research scientists Brian Williamson 2517, by telephone 602-242-0210 or by facsimile 602- said. 242-2513. Go to https://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2016-09-21/ Proposed Endangered Species Status For html/2016-22754.htm for the following information: Sonoyta Mud Turtle Executive Summary AGENCY: US Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior. Information Requested ACTION: Proposed rule. Federal Register Volume 81, Public Comments Number 183 (Wednesday, September 21, 2016)] Public Hearing [Proposed Rules] Peer Review [Pages 64829-64843] Previous Federal Action From the Federal Register Online via the Government Background Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] Summary of Biological Status and Threats [FR Doc No: 2016-22754] Table 1--Historical and Current Population Data of the Sonoyta Mud Turtle

44 THE WORLD AQUATIC VETERINARY MEDICAL ASSOCIATION Volume 10, Number 3 THE AQUATIC VETERINARIAN Third Quarter 2016 LEGISLATIVE & REGULATORY ISSUES

500 star turtles seized at Chennai airport Alligator Snapping Turtle One Step Closer to By M Sathish | Express News Service Endangered Species Protection July 29, 2016 Largest Freshwater Turtle in North America Threat- ened by Ongoing Habitat Destruction Across Midwest, CHENNAI, INDIA: In a major seizure, the customs Southeast and wildlife crime control bureau on Thursday night Press Release from Center for Biological Diversity, seized 500 star turtles at the Chennai airport that was August 30, 2016 being smuggled to Malaysia in a Thai Airways flight. The cute little star turtles, known for its beautiful ST. PETERSBURG, Fla.— The Center for Biologi- ornate design on the shell, is one of the most common cal Diversity today reached a settlement with the U.S. targets for smugglers due to its high demand as a pet Fish and Wildlife Service requiring the agency to deter- and medical purposes across the world. mine by 2020 whether the alligator snapping turtle will The Thai Airways officials grew suspicious when receive protection under the Endangered Species Act. they found something suspicious moving inside the A prehistoric-looking freshwater turtle known for its thermocool boxes that were to be uploaded as cargo in spiked shell, large claws and strong, beaked jaws, the the flight. They alerted the customs, who opened the alligator snapper has declined up to 95 percent across boxes and found nearly 500 star turtles bundled in its historic range. In response to a 2012 petition from cloth bags. The wildlife crime control bureau officials the Center, the Fish and Wildlife Service determined also confirmed that they are star tortoise, whose export last year that the alligator snapping turtle may warrant is banned. In each of the cloth bag, about ten tortoise federal protection. were bundled and they were placed inside the thermo- “Alligator snapping turtles are disappearing from cool boxes. many of the areas they historically lived,” said Elise The exporter, identified as Cosmic Exports with Bennett, a Center attorney whose work is dedicated to office at Ambattur in Chennai, had declared that the protecting rare reptiles and amphibians. “The evidence consignment contains crab. The export company's is strong these freshwater giants need Endangered owner has been identified as one Rajavelan and fur- Species Act protection to survive.” ther investigations are on if the company was involved Habitat degradation and over-harvest have caused in the smuggling or some other middlemen were in- significant population declines for the once-abundant volved. An airport source said the under the Risk Man- turtle. Early in the 20th century alligator snapping tur- agement System, a few of the parcels meant for export tles were plentiful in U.S. river systems draining into would go unchecked and this is how the consignment the Gulf of Mexico, from the waterways and lakes of containing the star turtles had made its way up to the the upper Midwest to the swamps and bayous of Flor- air craft. ida, Louisiana and Texas. But recent population sur- The value of the 500 turtles is estimated to be veys show the turtles are now likely extirpated in Iowa, around Rs 50 lakh in international market. According to Illinois, Kentucky, Missouri and Tennessee. A 2014 sections 9, 38 and 48A of Wildlife Protection Act 1972 study revealed that the alligator snapping turtle is actu- the export of the star turtle is illegal. Sources in the ally three different species and therefore even more Wildlife Crime Control Bureau said nearly 10 such sei- critically endangered than previously thought. zures of star turtle being exported to other countries “This settlement is a welcome first step,” said Ben- are seized in south India. The officials are now facing a nett. “Now the Service needs to evaluate and act ac- challenge on where to preserve the star turtle as the cording to the best science we have, which shows that Vandalur zoo or the forest department does not have these three species deserve full Endangered Species facility for it. Act protection.”

Contact: Elise Bennett, (727) 755-6950; From Wikipedia: [email protected]

The Indian star tortoise (Geochelone elegans) is found in dry areas and scrub forests in India and Sri Lanka.

WAVMA.ORG 45 Volume 10, Number 3 THE AQUATIC VETERINARIAN Third Quarter 2016 AQUATIC VETERINARY CE & PD

4th International MEETINGS OF INTEREST TO Symposium on AQUATIC VETERINARIANS Ranaviruses June 7-10, 2017 Veterinarians attending these meetings may be Budapest, Hungary awarded veterinary CEPD credit towards annual re-licensure or re-registration to practice veteri- Planning is currently underway for the 4th International Symposium nary medicine. Individuals should check with the on Ranaviruses, which will take organizers to see if CEPD certificates are pro- place from June 7th to June 10th, 2017 in the beautiful city of vided. Budapest, Hungary. The venue of the meeting is the historical campus of the University of Veterinary Science, in the heart of the city of Pest. The meeting will include a joint day with the 10th International Symposium on Viruses of Lower Vertebrates 2017 AQUAVET® I & II & III (ISVLV), which will take place from June 4th to 7th. Field trips : are planned at the end of the meeting, with excursions to nearby

local nature reserve areas. The College of Veterinary Medicine at Cornell Uni- ® versity is pleased to announce the 2017 AQUAVET I, Check out the conference website at http://www.rana-2017.com/ II & III course offerings. They are aquatic veterinary medicine education programs that currently consist of If you have any questions or want to help, please contact Rachel two courses that will be presented at Roger Williams Marschang University in Bristol, Rhode Island, USA in June 2017 ([email protected]) and one on aquarium medicine held in three venues. All the best, ® Dr. Amanda L. J. Duffus, BSc.H. (SSP, Biology), MSc., Ph.D. AQUAVET I: An Introduction to Aquatic Veterinary Associate Professor of Biology Medicine is a 4-week course (28 May - 24 June 2017) Secretary/Treasurer of the Global Ranavirus Consortium intended primarily for veterinary students. Undergraduate Research Symposium - Chair Department of Biology and Physical Sciences AQUAVET® II: Comparative Pathology of Aquatic Gordon State College Animals is a 2-week course (28 May - 10 June 2017) University System of Georgia 419 College Drive that is oriented toward the pathology of diseases of Barnesville, GA 30204 aquatic invertebrates and fish that are used in biomedi- USA cal research, encountered in display aquaria and are of importance in commercial aquaculture. Tel: (678) 359 - 5464/Fax: (678) 359 - 5878 Email: aduf- AQUAVET® III: Clinical Aspects of Captive Aquatic [email protected] Office: Instructional Complex (IC) 227 Animal Medicine is a 5 week course (following ® AQUAVET I: 25 June - 30 July 2017) and is limited to Web Page: http://www.gordonstate.edu/Faculty/aduffus/ a small number of students. The venues include GA Aquarium, U of GA and Dolphinaris, Cancún, México.

Veterinary students can receive credits for the courses and graduate veterinarians can receive CE credits.

More detailed information and applications for admission (due by January 15, 2017) are available on the web site www.aquavet.org.

Aquatic Veterinary e-Learning Supporting WAVMA’s WebCEPD, PubCEPD CertAqV & Clinical Cases Programs.

46 THE WORLD AQUATIC VETERINARY MEDICAL ASSOCIATION Volume 10, Number 3 THE AQUATIC VETERINARIAN Third Quarter 2016 AQUATIC VETERINARY CE & PD

Latin American & Caribbean Aquaculture 2016 The WA17 committee likes to invite all African November 28 – December 1, 2016 producers and other Aquaculture associations to Lima, Peru hold their annual meeting, to organize an industry session, during WA17. Please contact Innovative Aquaculture under Environmental Chal- [email protected] for more information. lenges is the theme for this event. LACQUA16 will be Time to submit your abstract. Booths available, just the annual meeting of the Latin American & Caribbean contact [email protected]. Chapter of the World Aquaculture Society. LACQUA16 will be held in the Sheraton Convention Center in Asian-Pacific Aquaculture 2017 Lima, Peru. July 25-27, 2017 Find the program grid here. Presentations can be in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Spanish, Portuguese and English. There are still a few booths available contact Asian-Pacific Aquaculture 2017 is the place to [email protected]. List of exhibitors. learn about the latest in aquaculture, see the newest This event is supported by the Peruvian Government, technology in the trade show with exhibits from Ministry of Produce, IMARPE and is Gold sponsored around the world and enjoy the many tourist sites in by Nicovita - Vitapro. Malaysia. APA 2017 will have a large exhibition fea- turing international companies showcasing the latest Aquaculture America 2017 in products, services and all aquaculture related in- Feb. 19-22, 2017 formation. Click here for more details. San Antonio, USA Don’t miss this opportunity to see the items that will enhance your aquaculture operation. Booths: con- AA 2017 returns to one of the favorite tourist spots tact: [email protected]. More info on in the world for the only major national aquaculture www.was.org. conference and exposition held in the U.S. The U.S. Aquaculture Society (formerly U.S. Chapter of WAS) Aquaculture Europe 2017 joins with National Aquaculture Association and the October 17-20, 2017 Aquaculture Suppliers Association to produce the an- Dubrovnik, Croatia nual Aquaculture America meetings. These sponsors are joined by the annual meetings of Aquacultural En- EAS and our Aquaculture Europe 2017 event will be gineering Society, American Tilapia Association, held in Dubvronik, Croatia from October 17-20 next Striped Bass Growers Association, US Trout Farmers year. We will very soon be making the web page for Association, US Shrimp Farming Association and AE2017. Meanwhile you can see the AE2017 bro- many more associations to make Aquaculture America chure at http://www.easonline.org/images/stories/ 2017 the one meeting in the U.S. that you don’t want Meetings/AE2017/AE2017_-flyer_web.pdf. Kind re- to miss! www.was.org. gards, Alistair Lane - Executive Director, European Aquaculture Society 5th Euro Global Summit on Aquaculture & Fisher- ies March 30-April 1, 2017 Madrid, Spain World Veterinary Congress

The theme is “Recent Advances in Aquaculture & to be an Annual Event Fisheries”. Luci Radcliff, Program Manager, Aqua In its July conference call, the WVA Council ap- Europe-2017, 2360 Corporate Circle, Suite 400, Hen- proved the proposal from the Standing Committee derson, NV 89074-7722, USA. for the World Veterinary Congress to hold the WVC

as an annual event. Following the 33rd World Veteri- World Aquaculture 2017 June 27-30, 2017 nary Congress that will take place in Inchon, Korea Cape Town, South Africa on 27-31st August 2017, the WVA Council agreed to hold the 34th WVC in Barcelona, Spain in April The International Aquaculture Conference and Ex- 2018. WVA and Korean Veterinary Medical Associa- hibition in 2017 will be held in Cape Town, South Af- tion already started to prepare the WVC in Korea in rica. This is the International Annual event organized 2017. Please save the WVC 2017 date in your di- by the World Aquaculture Society and moving around ary. the globe. WA17 brochure here.

WAVMA.ORG 47 Volume 10, Number 3 THE AQUATIC VETERINARIAN Third Quarter 2016 INTERNSHIPS, EXTERNSHIPS & RESIDENCIES

SeaWorld (3-4 weeks) Vancouver Aquarium (2-4 weeks) SeaWorld offers externships at each of its 3 loca- Located in Stanley Park of Vancouver, Canada, tions. There is one common application where you Vancouver Aquarium takes externs to work with their rank each park. Externs get to work with the wild collection of mammals, birds, amphibians, reptiles and birds that are brought for rehabilitation, even sur- fish. A literature review project is required. Housing is gery! You are required to give a small presentation not provided but they provide a guide on their website. to the veterinary staff on the last week of your rota- Make sure your passport is up to date! tion. Housing is not provided, but there are lots of hotels in the area, including an extended stay hotel Georgia Sea Turtle Center (2-6 weeks) with a small kitchenette for around $50/night. The Georgia Sea Turtle Center is located on Jekyll Island along the southern coast of Georgia. They reha- The Marine Mammal Center (3-4 weeks) bilitate both sea turtles and native land turtles at their Located in Sausalito, CA, the Marine Mammal center. If turtles are your interest, this is one of the Center is in the front-running for marine mammal best facilities to participate in the latest research and rehabilitation and research. It is very seasonal, with rehabilitation techniques. A research project is re- more animals in the spring and summer. You will quired for non-4th year students that is financed by work with the veterinary staff 3-4 days per week, and funding through your school. Housing available based then on crew, doing basic husbandry and feeding on seasonality. A car is recommended. once or twice a week. Housing is provided with the veterinary intern and any other externs at one of the National Aquarium (6-8 weeks) old fort houses nearby. It is highly recommended Baltimore, MD that you get a car for driving around. It is a beautiful National Aquarium is located in Baltimore, MD and area with lots of beach coast and hiking. houses a large collection of fish, mammals, amphibi-

ans/reptiles and birds. This rotation gives hands-on Mystic Aquarium experience with fish, birds, reptiles and amphibians. Mystic Aquarium in Mystic, CT, right near the There is some work with mammals and other critters, coastal Rhode Island border, houses a large collec- but it is largely observational. Applications are action of marine mammals, fish and invertebrates. You cepted year round. A small presentation is required. work primarily with the veterinary intern, shadowing No housing is available but there are lots of hotels in and assisting on procedures. You will also get very the area. proficient in taking and processing analog radio-

graphs. A presentation is required during this extern- New England Aquarium (6-8 weeks) ship. No housing is provided, but you may want to Boston, MA ask if they know of anyone working at the aquarium who can provided you with a room for the time you Located in Boston, MA, the New England Aquarium are there. This is another rotation where you’ll want hosts a large collection of fish , birds, marine mammals a car to check out all the beaches nearby. and turtles. Their chief veterinarian, Dr. Charles Innis, is one of the most knowledgeable about cold stun in Georgia Aquarium turtles and has made a significant contribution to re- Atlanta, Georgia searching their rehabilitation. Externs are required to Georgia Aquarium is one of the newest aquari- prepare a case report and research paper with presen- ums in the US. It has a new procedure suite and one tations for both. No housing is available, but there are of the most outstanding tanks in the world. Housing lots of options nearby. is not provided. You may not need a car since the aquarium is located in downtown Atlanta, GA. See list of externships on the WAVMA website at: www.wavma.org/externships Navy Marine Mammal Program (4 weeks) The US Navy trains marine mammals to perform tasks underwater that cannot be performed by humans. This is a high priority for those interested in marine mammal medicine. This program is based in San Diego, CA and is highly competitive.

48 THE WORLD AQUATIC VETERINARY MEDICAL ASSOCIATION Volume 10, Number 3 THE AQUATIC VETERINARIAN Third Quarter 2016 AQUATIC JOB OPPORTUNITIES

Seattle Aquarium college and a minimum of two years of practical ex- Staff Veterinarian perience in veterinary medicine, preferably at an AZA accredited aquarium/zoo, are required. The staff veterinarian must also have and maintain a Posted: Open to internal and external Washington state veterinary license and a federal applicants DEA license. Reports to: Director of life sciences For a full job description including working conditions Status: Full-time, salaried, benefitted and job requirements visit our website at SeattleA- position quarium.org/jobs. Hours of work: Monday–Friday, standard work week with flexibility for Salary and benefits: D.O.E. Please include salary evenings and weekends as requirements in cover letter. Full-time staff are eligi- required ble for the Seattle Aquarium’s comprehensive benefits package to include medical, vision, dental, HRA, Date needed: ASAP FSA, life insurance, short- and long-term disability, Posting expires: Thursday, October 6, 2016 long-term care, access to a subsidized ORCA pass, and paid time off.

About the Seattle Aquarium: The Seattle Aquar- How to apply: The Seattle Aquarium is a progres- ium is owned by the City of Seattle and under non- sive, equal opportunity employer that values a di- profit management. The Aquarium currently serves verse workforce. All candidates are encouraged to over 825,000 visitors and 40,000 schoolchildren and apply by sending a one-page letter of interest, rés- their teachers annually. Guided by its mission of umé and salary requirements to Inspiring Conservation of Our Marine Environment, [email protected]. Application review will the Seattle Aquarium has a realistic plan for phased begin immediately. growth based on record-setting attendance, membership and fundraising growth, an energized board Note: Must pass a background check to be eligible of directors and professional management. The cur- for this position. rent annual budget is $16 million.

Position description: The Seattle Aquarium seeks a staff veterinarian to join our team. The staff veterinarian furthers our mission by supporting the life sciences department through delivering a complete program of veterinary care for the Seattle Aquarium. This includes but is not limited to evaluating nutrition programs and diet formulations and providing clinical diagnostics and treatment for the Aquarium’s animal collection. Effective communication skills are necessary to ensure working collaboratively with internal and external stakeholders at all times and upholding the values and goals of the Seattle Aquarium. The current collection includes sea otters, harbor seals, northern fur seals, river otters, alcids, shorebirds, warm- and cold-water fish and invertebrates.

The staff veterinarian is responsible for refining and maintaining a complete program of veterinary care for the Seattle Aquarium, requiring organizational skills as well as effective oral and written communication skills. The ideal candidate will be self- motivated and possess strong interpersonal, collaboration and leadership skills. A DVM or equiva- lent degree from an AVMA-accredited veterinary WAVMA.ORG 49 Volume 10, Number 3 THE AQUATIC VETERINARIAN Third Quarter 2016 WAVMA SPONSORS

50 THE WORLD AQUATIC VETERINARY MEDICAL ASSOCIATION